Second Sister
by HardBoiled
Summary: The crew finds themselves helping an Inquisitor who is on the run from the Empire.
1. Chapter 1

(AU takes place just before Vision of Hope.)

Most mornings for Ezra Bridger were pretty routine. He would wake up, do some warm up exercises followed by Jedi training sessions, take a lunch break, mess around in the ship the rest of the day, drive Zeb crazy, go to bed, repeat. But every now and then a mission comes up and Ezra couldn't be happier. Any chance he could take part in the resistance was worthwhile to him, regardless of the mission.

A few months ago, Ezra considered the idea of challenging the Empire insane. All he cared about then was just surviving one day after the next. Life was a lot simpler than before being in the rebellion or the whole Force powers thing. Then one day Ezra came across a group of bandits stealing an Imperial convoy. Sensing opportunity, he grabbed one of the speeder bikes carrying supplies and took off. The bandits chased after him as did the Empire. Ezra almost got killed but the bandits saved him and gave him passage aboard their ship. At first, he thought they were nothing more than your typical pirates until they gave supplies to a re-settlement town which was filled with starving people. That's when Ezra realized they were more than just brigands.

Ezra stuck with them, getting into one form of trouble or another. Yet they managed to always get out of it and do some good in the process. The group was led by Hera Syndulla, a Twi'lek who was quite possibly the best pilot in the galaxy. She was tough as nails in combat and yet outside of it, she was probably the kindest person you'd ever met. Kanan Jarrus was a former Jedi Padawan who escaped the purges during the early days of the Empire. Thankfully he wasn't some old man preaching platitudes otherwise Ezra would have never agreed to let Kanan train him to become a Jedi.

Garazeb Orrelios, or "Zeb" as everyone called him, was kinda like the grumpy uncle of the group. He was a Lasat, formally a Captain in the Lasan Honor Guard until the Empire invaded his world and slaughtered his people. Now he was a part of the rebellion and while Ezra and Zeb fought constantly, the truth was Ezra couldn't imagine being in this fight without him. Sabine Wren was only sixteen years old and yet had an incredible resume. The Mandalorian was a former Imperial cadet who became a bounty hunter then joined the team and was now the demolitions expert. Whenever she wasn't painting graffiti on something, she was blowing up Imperials with her handmade grenades and explosives. Plus she was drop-dead gorgeous. And last though certainly least in Ezra's mind was Chopper. A C1-10P Astromech droid that never ceased to drive Ezra crazy. That bucket of bolts was a vindictive trickster who enjoyed certain hobbies like rigging Ezra's bunk to collapse. He wasn't the only one that little rust bucket enjoyed tormenting. Zeb swore he'd make a trash pile out of him one of these days. Still whenever somebody's life was in danger, that little astromech somehow always pull through to pitch in.

They weren't exactly the text book definition of what a resistance movement should be and they often drove each other crazy but Ezra considered them not just his comrades but family as well. And now his family was on another assignment. Hera was always the one coming up with the missions, having contacts with other people resisting the Empire who informed her about priority targets. Ezra only knew about one of them and wasn't even sure if it was a man or woman but the name is Fulcrum. Who this Fulcrum was, Ezra couldn't say but his or her information always seemed to be legit.

The group met in the commons area of the ship, assembling around the holochess board. The Ghost wasn't a very large ship so the crew had to make do with what they had. The board served as both something for Ezra to beat Zeb constantly at chess and also used for mission briefings. Hera put up a holographic image of an Imperial Cargo Freighter. Ezra's seen a whole bunch of them coming and going through Lothal's spaceports but the crew never went after one before. Guess it was time to break that habit.

"Chopper hacked into the Lothal City Spaceport and verified Fulcrum's tip. A large shipment of military grade durasteel ore arrives today on an Imperial transport in the Lothal City Spaceport," explained Hera.

"Vizago's willing to pay top credits for it," added Kanan.

"How much credits?" Ezra asked.

"Why? You got a girlfriend we don't know about?" chuckled Zeb. Ezra elbowed him in the gut for that and Zeb elbowed him back even harder. Ezra held his side, making a mental note not to do that again.

"More than enough to keep the lights on around here," Kanan answered Ezra's question.

"That's not the only reason we're doing this. This is the largest shipment that's arrived on Lothal in months. If we can steal this, it'll force the Empire to take extra precautions. Specifically they'll reduce the shipment sizes to not make them targets for pirates or rather us in the future. It'll diminish their durasteel supply and slow down their military productions on the planet," Hera stated.

"Meaning the next time we scrap a Tie Fighter, they won't be able to replace it so fast," commented Sabine.

"Exactly," nodded Hera.

"How do we know the Empire won't just give the convoys escorts from now on instead of reducing their loads?" asked Ezra

"The Empire's cheap," chuckled Kanan. "Adding escorts takes up men and resources and they're stretched in the Outer Rim as is."

"Please tell me we're blasting our way in and not sneaking. I haven't busted up a single bucket head in a week," said Zeb.

"Sorry Zeb. The shipment arrives during a shift change so the spaceport will be flooded with security. Fortunately, things will be a little chaotic which should allow one Stormtrooper and a cadet to sneak in unnoticed," answered Kanan.

"Ezra you're with Kanan. The two of you will steal some uniforms and take the ship once it's landed. Sabine you'll provide a distraction with a few explosives near the South Wing. That should draw away the extra guards," said Hera.

"I love my job," Sabine chuckled.

"Figures I'm on the sidelines," grumbled Zeb.

"You'll be with me on the Phantom. If something goes wrong, we'll need you manning the turrets," Hera spoke.

"Look on the bright side Zeb. Something always goes wrong so you won't be sitting this one out," chuckled Ezra. The Lasat threw him a look but shrugged in agreement.

"Get your gear ready. We move out in one hour," Hera said.

As the team dispersed, Ezra headed back to his room to grab his things. He unpacked his lightsaber and communicator when he suddenly felt cold. It was a sudden chill that had no reason to it. The temperature in the room hadn't decreased but it was less of a physical reaction as it was a feeling inside. A sensation to a dark presence within the Force. Ezra only felt it whenever he was near the Inquisitor.

* * *

Whenever the propaganda vids for Imperial recruitment showed the lavished and exotic lifestyle for an Imperial officer, one should have known better than to believe it. Imperials were shown liberating cities from the yoke of tyrants, subduing violent alien species, and promoting order throughout the galaxy. They showed battles with Stormtroopers charging through battlefields with Star Destroyers and Tie Fighters overhead. Any moron without a brain cell would think that enlisted would somehow turn you into some kind of action hero you see on the holovids.

Reality however was quite different. Lieutenant Kemmel had barely got out of the Imperial Academy when he got his first assignment commanding a cargo transport from the Core Worlds to several different planets in the Outer Rim. At first he thought it would simply be transitioning assignment, one that would end in a few months. That was three years ago and he was still running cargo across the galaxy like a common freighter captain. Sure his superiors would tell him the same speech about how important the job was with Grand Moff Tarkin's expansion plan. But Kemmel knew he was getting the shaft. He may not have graduated among the top within the academy but he deserved better than this.

His latest assignment was delivering a large shipment of durasteel to manufacturing plants on the planet Lothal. It was a backwater planet at best but for reason, some high ranking official decided its factories were strategically important for one reason or another. Probably a Moff who owned a stake in them and was using his or her command to generate business for themselves. Such corruption wasn't unheard of but in the end it didn't matter. Kemmel would finish his assignment and once he got back to the Core Worlds, he would try once again to request a transfer. He'd take a staff officer position at this point.

Lothal's circular yellow sphere came into view as the ship dropped out of hyperspace. This was all a simple cargo drop. The ship would be refuel and be on its way back to the Core Worlds within a few hours. No doubt Sergeant Darus and his men will want to hit the local bar once they finish unloading the cargo but Kemmel didn't have that luxury. He needed to be aboard to supervise the refueling. Maybe Kemmel could make Darus and his men remain onboard for 'security' reasons. At least then he wouldn't be the only one suffering through this. Speaking of suffering, where was AP-79? That useless droid should have gotten back from the cargo hold with his inventory check.

Kemmel activated his comlink. "AP-79 are you done with the inventory count yet?"

The Lieutenant's irritation grew from the com silence. "AP-79 respond," he demanded. Still no answer, normally he'd be ecstatic to not have that rust bucket constantly spouting Imperial regulations right and left. But he needed that droid's inventory check before he could offload his cargo and leave this worthless planet. While he piloted the ship into Lothal's atmosphere, he sent out another transmission.

"Sergeant Darus find the inventory droid," Kemmel ordered.

* * *

"Yes sir," Darus replied. In his mind, the Sergeant imagined strangling the man. The Lieutenant was a miserable officer and the entire eight man crew onboard knew it. Sergeant Darus had been on the ship for two years and more than once considered 'accidently' blowing Kemmel out of the airlock. The rest of his unit of Stormtroopers would probably just look the other way.

"Marick meet me at the cargo hold," Darus said into his comlink. His subordinate met up with him just outside the entrance to the ship's massive cargo hold. The two stepped inside where hundreds of large containers were side by side and on top of one another. Still this kind of a load was typical ever since Governor Tarkin began his expansion program.

"Rust bucket where are you?" Marick called out. He got nothing but silence as an answer. "That useless bucket of bolts is on the fritz again," he grumbled.

"Take the left side, I'll check the right," sighed Darus. As he began searching in-between the cargo stacks, he couldn't believe this is how his life turned out. Join the Empire and get relegated to transport duty and searching for faulty droids.

"Sound off you useless clanker," Darus called out. Of course he got no response. He was approaching the end of the stacks when he noticed something. Two elongated metallic objects lying on the floor. Darus reached down and picked them up, realizing they were fingers from a droid. What's more, the fingers had scorch marks on them as if they were blasted or cut off. He had a feeling they had an intruder.

"This is Sergeant Darus to all units. Move into the cargo hold, lock it down, and sweep the room. We've got a stowaway onboard. Marick head back towards the entrance," Darus said into his com unit. He made his way back to the entrance where the other five members of his unit were assembling. One of them entered a lockdown code on the door, preventing their intruder from escaping.

"Where's Marick?" asked Darus.

"He never showed up sir," one of the newer recruits said. Crap, this was a worse situation then Darus thought. Marick's either been knocked out, killed, or taken prisoner. Either way they had to find whoever attacked him and AP-79.

Darus split the unit up into two teams of three. He led the search of the area where Marick was supposed to be but so far there wasn't a sign of him. Something was very wrong. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he muttered to himself.

"Contact!" Darus could hear echoing in the room along with blaster fire. He quickly rushed towards the source of the sound along with his two squad mates close behind. They rounded a corner only to find dismembered body parts in Stormtrooper armor scattered along the floor.

"What the…" Darus could hear his men gasping behind him.

"Everyone back to the entrance now," ordered Darus. He turned and to his shock, one of his squad mates was gone.

The remaining trooper turned and realized the same thing. "What? Where'd he go? What's going on here?" he said, panicking.

"Keep it together and fall back to the gggggggggg…" Darus ordered him before he suddenly felt his throat constricting. He gasped for air, ripping off his helmet as he grasped at his neck only he couldn't feel anything choking him. Nothing was touching his neck and yet the pressure increased.

A blur fell from above and landed behind the final trooper. Darus tried to warn him but he couldn't speak so he pointed. The trooper turned just as a crimson blade of energy formed and swung up to severe his head. The head rolled along the floor while the body slumped to the ground. Darus's vision began to blur from the lack of oxygen but he knew the figure was moving towards him. The last thing he saw was the blade swinging at his head.

* * *

"What's going on down there? Sergeant Darus respond!" Kemmel shouted into the comlink. He got no response. Kemmel didn't need to be told what was going on. There was one or more intruders onboard and Darus and his unit were most likely dead which left the Lieutenant the only surviving member of the crew. Well Kemmel was certainly not going to confront whatever was responsible and make the same mistake as Darus. He smiled as he activated the emergency cargo release. He knew the cargo hold was on lockdown based on the readings he was receiving and it was standard procedure to lockdown a room you suspect an intruder was in. With a touch of a few buttons, the cargo hold detached from the rest of the ship. Now the stowaway was trapped and could easily be dealt with once Kemmel contacts reinforcements. More importantly, he didn't have to fear for his life anymore.

Kemmel activated the communications relay and said, "Lothal Control this is Imperial Cargo Transport 193. We have been boarded by unknown assailants and I was forced to jettison the cargo hold with the intruders and most of my crew onboard."

" _Copy Transport 193. We'll send a cruiser to secure it. Continue onto your original course,"_ a voice replied on the com.

Kemmel breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he thought he was real trouble but maybe this whole incident will turn out for the best. Maybe he can spin his report to reflect that he knew that releasing the cargo hold was the only way to save the ship. He might get a commendation for this and finally a transfer.

The sound of the bridge door opened behind him. He turned and instantly gasped as an invisible force closed around his neck and lifted him into the air. An armored feminine figure stepped onto the bridge, holding a strange looking device in her hand. She ignited the weapon, creating a crimson beam out of the emitter. A lightsaber? But only the Inquisitors used those. The revelation of Kemmel's attacker dawned on him as he was suddenly thrusted forward, heading right towards the energy beam.


	2. Chapter 2

"This helmet doesn't fit," Ezra, dressed as a Cadet, grumbled as he followed Kanan through the spaceport. Ezra was pushing along a grav pallet to give them the pretense of delivering supplies. Stealing the uniforms was easy. A few Jedi mind tricks later and they were inside. So far the worst thing about this whole mission for Ezra was that how uncomfortable his helmet was.

"You think you have it rough? I'm almost starting to lose feeling in my toes," muttered Kanan who was dressed as a Stormtrooper

" _This is Spectre 5, I'm all set here,"_ Sabine reported in. So far so good, maybe Zeb was going to be disappointed after all.

Ezra and Kanan arrived at the massive open landing platform. Most shuttles landed inside the spaceport through various holes that led to hangers but for the larger freighters, a large platform was necessary as they were too big to fit inside the hanger. While there were dozens of workers all around, they were scattered so far and wide that they wouldn't think twice of another Stormtrooper and Cadet. The two came to a halt at an empty landing port that their target was scheduled to set down on. No one was around and would probably stay that way until the ship arrived.

"This is Spectre 1, ready for pickup," Kanan reported.

" _Standby Spectre 1, we may have a problem,"_ Hera chimed in. Kanan and Ezra both exchanged a look but didn't say anything, waiting for Hera to get back to them. _"Stand down Spectre 1. The freighter jettisoned it's cargo during a boarding attempt."_

" _Figures somebody else would beat us to it,"_ Ezra heard Zeb grumbled on the other end of the transmission.

"Copy Spectre 2, pulling out," Kanan sighed before cutting the transmission.

"Can't we just find the cargo and pick it up?" Ezra asked.

"The Ghost can't handle a haul that big. That's why we wanted the freighter in the first place," Kanan explained. He motioned for Ezra to move and his Padawan reluctantly obeyed. He kept pushing the grav pallet to keep their little facade until after they were clear of the spaceport. The sound of thrusters hummed overhead, growing more distinct as a small speck in the sky as the ship grew larger and larger from its descent.

"If the ship is still landing here, maybe we can still take it and use it to retrieve the cargo," suggested Ezra.

Kanan shook his head. "By now the Imperials will have the cargo surrounded with cruisers and fighters. Even if we hijack the freighter, we'd never get close before the ship would be reported stolen," he answered.

Ezra grumbled, hoping he'd actually pull a mission off today. Looks like he'll have to wait another day to stick it to the Empire. Ezra knew Jedi weren't supposed to enjoy fighting people but he couldn't help it. The Empire took everything from him so any chance he got to deal a little damage to them, he would gladly take it.

Ezra glanced behind him to see the freighter gently landing on the port. He had a strange feeling about it, the same kind of cold that he felt a few hours ago in the Ghost. Ezra told Kanan about it earlier but his Master told him not to worry about it. Until the Inquisitor showed up again, it was best to just worry about the task at hand. Well now that he was feeling it again, it might be time to worry.

"Kanan can you sense that?" Ezra asked.

"Yeah…let's get out of here," Kanan suggested. Clearly he wasn't ready for another round with the Inquisitor, not that Ezra could blame him. The last time they fought the Empire's local Jedi hunter, they barely escaped with their lives. The two Jedi made their way through back through the interiors of the spaceport to exit the area and meet up with Sabine outside. So far everything seemed to be quiet, within a few minutes they'd be out and the Imps would never even know they had been inside.

An alarm went off overhead, klaxons echoing through the hallways as red lights flashed on and off.

" _Spectre 1 this is Spectre 5. What just happened? The whole spaceport is on alert,"_ asked Sabine.

"No idea. It wasn't on our end," Kanan replied.

" _Get out of there all of you,"_ ordered Hera.

Kanan and Ezra doubled timed it down the hallway, coming to a halt as more than a dozen Stormtroopers were rushing down the corridor towards them.

"Uhh…Kanan?" Ezra asked nervously, his hand ready to reach inside one of the cargo containers they were transporting for cover where they had some blasters hidden.

"Just play it cool," Kanan whispered. The Stormtroopers rushed right by them, completely ignoring them.

"What's going on around here?" asked Ezra.

"No idea and we're not staying long enough to find out," Kanan replied.

"Hey you!" someone shouted behind them. The two turned to see a Stormtrooper approaching, a white pauldron on his shoulder representing his rank as a sergeant.

"Sir," Kanan said, standing at attention. Ezra quickly joined did so as well. More Stormtroopers rushed by as the Sergeant stopped in front of the two Jedi.

"What are you doing? We need all hands at the landing platform!" the Sergeant shouted.

"Sir I was escorting this cadet to a safe area," Kanan answered.

The Sergeant turned his attention to Ezra. "Do you know where the nearest safe room is?" he asked.

"Yes sir," Ezra lied.

"He doesn't need a babysitter then. Now get to the landing platform. We can't let the Inquisitor escape," the Sergeant ordered Kanan.

"In…Inquisitor sir?" Kanan stuttered, just as confused as Ezra was. Why would the Imperials be after the Inquisitor? Did he have some kind of falling out with the Empire?

" _There she is…pin her down!...take cover!...we need back up repeat we need-AAAARRRRGGHH!"_ could be heard on the Sergeant's com. Wait did that com chatter address the Inquisitor as a she?

"Are you deaf? Get to the hangar now!" shouted the Sergeant. Dozens of more troopers were rushing down the corridor. Ezra knew his master only had two choices left. Either play along and go with or fight back and escape with Ezra. With the whole place on lockdown, that might be complicated. And there was the big question what was going on around here? Maybe if Kanan goes with them, he can figure what's happening with the Inquisitor.

"I can find my way sir," Ezra said to Kanan.

"You're sure?" Kanan asked and he wasn't asking about Ezra's sense of direction. He wanted to know his Padawan would be alright.

"Yes sir," Ezra nodded. Kanan gave him a simple nod, trusting the boy to take care of himself. Ezra saluted and pushed the pallet down the hallway. He decided to keep it in case he made it outside and needed a cover story as to where he was going. A simple tale of a Cadet delivering supplies to the nearby outpost shouldn't bat an eye.

* * *

Kanan wasn't entirely pleased that Ezra just forced him into separating. But he trusted the kid could handle himself and besides, Kanan wanted to know what was going on. "What's your name soldier?" the Sergeant demanded.

Kanan fell in line with him along with dozens of other troopers rushing towards the landing platforms. "Private Organa sir," he replied.

"Never heard of you. You must one of the new recruits from Hosnian Prime. Now I don't know how they run things there but if I ever had to repeat an order to you again, I'll have you court martialed," the Sergeant warned.

"Yes sir. It won't happen again sir," Kanan said, continuing to play the dumb new recruit.

"The Inquisitor is to be terminated with extreme force. Don't let her get a bead on you or you're dead," Sergeant said to everyone.

"Her? I thought the Inquisitor was male sir," Kanan inquired.

"This is another one Private Organa," Sergeant grunted. If his helmet wasn't covering his face, Kanan couldn't have hidden the shock at what he just heard. There was more than one Inquisitor? Then that begged the question as to who this other one was and why the Empire wanted her dead.

When they arrived at platform, it had turned into a warzone. A few minutes ago it was almost empty and peaceful now dozens of Stormtroopers were firing away at a figure twirling around a circular red double-bladed lightsaber. The Sergeant ordered the new arrivals to spread out and take up firing positions. Kanan hung back, looking for a quick and quiet way to get out of this. The Inquisitor definitely wasn't the same one he fought several times before. Truthfully Kanan couldn't tell if the Inquisitor was a woman but the Sergeant seemed certain so he must have some clue about her identity. She was shorter and slender plus her armor looked slightly different from the other one. Her combat skills, however, were no less deadly.

The Inquisitor was constantly on the move using crates, shuttles, and whatever cover she could find. She rushed from cover to cover, slashing and decapitating any trooper that got in her way. With a single motion of her hand, five Stormtroopers went flying through the air. She summoned a blaster to her hand and began firing away with one hand while using her other to control her lightsaber. The Inquisitor put her pistol through the small ring in the center of her lightsaber, using that small opening to fire through while having the blade emitters spin to form a shield. It allowed her to deflect every shot while able to return fire at the same time.

To say Kanan was impressed was an understatement. This Inquisitor was taking on more than fifty Stormtroopers and coming out on top. She lifted a nearby crate using the Force and hurled it, knocking down four bucket heads in her path. Kanan slowly backed up, letting the fighting distract the others while he made an escape. The Inquisitor cut through two more troopers and rushed towards a shuttle on the platform.

"She's heading towards one of the shuttles. Stop her!" shouted the Sergeant.

Several troopers tossed thermal detonators at her but with a motion of her hand, the Inquisitor sent them right back. Everyone quickly took cover as explosions lite up the area. Kanan watched as the Inquisitor rushed up the ramp of the shuttle and it retracted behind her. The engines activated and the ship slowly began to ascend. The bucket heads continued firing away despite the futility of it. Kanan decided now was the time to make himself scarce and rushed back inside the spaceport.

"Spectre 1 to Spectre 2, I'm heading to the rendezvous point," Kanan transmitted.

" _Glad to hear it Spectre 1. What happened out there?"_ asked Hera.

"For once I don't think we're the Empire's biggest problem on this planet," replied Kanan.

(This was originally going to be longer but I needed to reedit some scenes after this. Don't worry the crew will meet the new Inquisitor soon enough.)


	3. Chapter 3

Ezra listened to Kanan and Hera's transmission with ever increasing interest as he exited the spaceport. It was concerning that there was a second Inquisitor but it sounded like the crew didn't have to worry about her joining the Imps in hunting them down. Ezra kept pushing his grav pallet even after he was out of the facility until he could find a spot to ditch it unseen.

" _She just took off in a shuttle,"_ Kanan stated.

" _Then she's probably heading off world. Good, the last thing we need to deal with is another one,"_ remarked Hera.

" _I'm heading to the rendezvous point. Spectre 1 out,"_ Kanan said before the transmission ended.

Ezra heard thrusters overhead and glanced up to a shuttle soaring into the sky. That must be the ship the Inquisitor stole to escape. Well Ezra hoped she got away. It'd be nice to know there's other people in the galaxy causing the Empire grief. Turbolaser fire coming from the spaceport's AA cannons lite up the sky trying to shoot down the shuttle. The shuttle tried evasive maneuvers but the screen of fire was just too much. A blaster bolt impacted the ship's thrusters, causing its engines to falter.

The shuttle was unable to maneuver effectively and more turbolaser bolts hit their target. One of its wings was blown off and the ship dropped from the sky. Ezra quickly realized he needed to move as it was heading right towards the street he was on. He rushed into a nearby alley as the shuttle crash landed violently on the street. Bricks exploded into the air from the ship partially clipping the side of a building. The shuttle let loose a loud screech as metal impacted pavement sliding down the street and bouncing from a building on one side to the other, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

Ezra emerged from the alley as the shuttle came to a halt. Smoke nearly obscured its entire form probably caused by internal fires. Now Ezra knew Kanan wouldn't approve of getting involved. This was an Inquisitor after all, there was no reason the crew should stick their necks out to help someone like that. But there was something telling Ezra to get closer. It wasn't the Force but rather just gut instinct. It could just be his stomach was getting hungry but Ezra felt he couldn't just walk away from this. He might end up regretting all of this but he headed closer to the chaotic scene.

Fires began to flare up out of the ship. If the Inquisitor didn't hurry, no amount of ability in the Force would protect her. Ezra removed the uncomfortable helmet and pitched aside before working his way around the wreckage to find the off-loading ramp down and the main doors open. The Inquisitor survived the crash but couldn't have gotten far from a landing that bad. Ezra checked around but didn't see any clue on where she went.

"Blast her!" someone shouted nearby. The sounds of blaster fire soon followed along the sound of a lightsaber all coming from a nearby alley. Ezra made his way cautiously towards it, grabbing his lightsaber. It had a stun blaster added to it, allowing Ezra to use it without using the energy blade and attract unwanted attention. The blaster fire continued then suddenly everything went silent. Something told the young Jedi that things didn't end too well for the Stormtroopers.

He was starting to reconsider getting involved with this. If the Inquisitor saw him, she probably wouldn't hesitate to kill him especially since Ezra was still wearing his stolen cadet uniform. The sound of barrels and crates falling onto the ground broke his hesitation. Kicking himself for being so stupid, Ezra headed into the alley to find the corpses of six Stormtroopers. Several had cauterized wounds on their bodies but others had blaster impacts on their armor. The Inquisitor must have deflected their blaster fire back at those ones.

But there was also a seventh figure in the alley as well. A being in black armor with a circular disc holder on the back and an enclosed dark helmet was lying face down on the ground. The Imperial crest was stamped on both of her shoulders just like the Pau'an Ezra and Kanan fought several times before. Ezra thought at first this one was dead just lying motionless on the pavement until he felt a feeling in the back of his mind. The same feeling he felt just before the cargo freighter landed.

Ezra realized the figure was playing dead as she activated the lightsaber she had hidden underneath her chest and swung it around at Ezra's chest. He had a split second to activate his lightsaber which he managed to activate just in time to block the incoming crimson blade. The Inquisitor's face was hidden behind her mask but Ezra could tell from her body language she was surprised. Ezra jumped back, ready for her to get up and attack him. Except the Inquisitor didn't rush him at all. Instead she slowly got to her feet.

That's when Ezra realized that the Inquisitor had multiple blaster marks on her armor, including her knee. Apparently the warrior didn't emerge from her previous battles unscathed. The wound to the knee must have been bad because she seemed to have trouble standing on it.

"A lightsaber? You're no cadet," the Inquisitor said, referring to Ezra's stolen uniform.

"I'm not," Ezra replied.

"Who are you?" the Inquisitor demanded.

"Me? I'm just a concerned citizen with a laser sword," Ezra remarked. "Now just take it easy. I don't want to hurt you but I will if you don't…"

The Inquisitor held up her hand and suddenly, Ezra's lightsaber went flying from his hands and to her's. The young Padawan gasped, kicking himself in thinking this other Force user was somehow weaker just because of some injuries. Even barely standing, the Inquisitor disarmed him with no effort whatsoever.

"Well go on. Don't spare any detail. What are you doing to do to me?" the Inquisitor mocked. Ezra considered running but doubted he would get very far. The Inquisitor could either use the Force to stop him or hurl a lightsaber at him.

"Children shouldn't be playing with toys like this. The Empire has executed people just for possessing a lightsaber," she added.

"I'll add it to my rap sheet," Ezra retorted, trying to keep up a brave facade. The Inquisitor suddenly hurled Ezra's lightsaber right back at him. Caught off guard, Ezra lifted up his hands and stopped the lightsaber in mid-air. Regaining his composure, he snatched the weapon and reignited the energy blade.

"I thought so. You're one of those Jedi rebels giving the Empire problems on this planet," remarked the Inquisitor. Well the loth-cat was out of the bag. She knew exactly who and what he was now. Ezra just knew Kanan was going to be furious when he found out about this. Stay invisible and don't let anyone know you're a Jedi. Otherwise it would bring unwanted attention.

"Down there. I thought I heard something," a voice could be heard down the alley. Instantly whatever problem Ezra and the dark sider had with each other was forgotten as seven Stormtroopers rushed down the alley.

"There she is! Wait a minute there's one of the rebels! Shoot 'em both!" the lead Stormtrooper shouted. Instantly the alley lite up with blaster fire as the Inquisitor activated her sphere-shaped lightsaber and activated its automatic spin function, forming a defensive shield to block any incoming bolts of energy. Ezra quickly took cover behind a cargo crate. Unlike the Inquisitor, he didn't use his lightsaber but the stun gun addition he installed into it. With two shots, he dropped two Stormtroopers. The five still standing took cover.

"Heads up," the Inquisitor shouted to Ezra. She lifted up her free hand, focusing and two Stormtroopers suddenly floated into the air from behind cover. Ezra understood what his unlikely ally was doing and quickly blasted both helpless troopers. The Inquisitor dropped them then motioned with her hand again, lifting up a multi-ton garbage bin that the three remaining Stormtroopers were using for cover. Ezra fired away, taking two of them down but the final one opened fired and forced the young Jedi to take cover. The Inquisitor levitated the garbage bin directly over the final Stormtrooper who was too busy firing at Ezra to notice. She lowered her hand and the large bin dropped directly on top of the soldier, making a disgusting sound as his body was crushed to death.

"Should have told him heads up," Ezra muttered, not feeling any sympathy. It was hard to feel anything for someone who willingly joined the Empire. No one forces you to put on that armor and commit the atrocities the Imperials are known for.

To Ezra's surprise, the Inquisitor started limping away. Despite all her injuries, she was still pressing on. Ezra had to admit she was relentless. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? You're in no condition to go anywhere," he called out to her.

"Get lost boy," the Inquisitor warned him, not bothering to turn around to speak with him.

"The Imps will have this whole area locked down and flood every street and alley with troops. You won't last an hour with those injuries," explained Ezra.

He must have made his point because she stopped and turned to face him. "And just what exactly do you think you can do little Jedi?" the Inquisitor asked, almost mockingly.

Ezra hesitated. He knew he could get the Inquisitor out of this mess but the real question was if he even should. Sure she helped him deal with those Stormtroopers just now but that was for survival. Ezra had no reason to trust her and for all he knew, she could very well turn and kill him any second. Yet this was also an opportunity he couldn't pass up. Here was an Inquisitor, someone clearly strong in the Force and someone who was probably high up in the Empire's ranks. Ezra didn't know how long she'd been a part of it or what terrible things she might have done but she had to know things. Now that the Inquisitor was on the run, maybe she'd be willing to trade such information for assistance.

"I have a grav pallet nearby. If you can hide in a cargo crate, I can use my cadet uniform to smuggle you out of the area and to a safe house. Somewhere the Empire won't come looking for you and has medical supplies to treat your injuries," Ezra answered.

"And why should I trust you?" demanded the Inquisitor.

"Do you have a choice?" remarked Ezra.

It was clear even with a mask on, the Inquisitor wasn't happy. Someone as powerful as her couldn't be thrilled with the idea of having her life depended on anyone, let alone someone she considered a child. "Make it quick," she finally relented.

Ezra rushed back towards the street where he left his pallet. It got knocked over during the crash but fortunately it wasn't damaged. He reactivated the engine and pushed it back towards the alley, picking up his dropped helmet along the way. They didn't have much time as another patrol could arrive any second. The Inquisitor was impatient when he got back. She was still standing, clearly ready to run or fight the second she sighted a bucket head though she was in no condition to do so.

Ezra opened a nearby cargo crate and dumped it over, spilling out its contents of spare mechanical parts. The Inquisitor used the Force to levitate it onto the pallet before she climbed up into it. Ezra could hear the grunts of pain from his unlikely ally as she sat down inside the crate. Though with the injuries she had, it was miracle she was even able to get inside of it by herself. Ezra shut the lid on top of the crate. He put his helmet back on then started pushing the cart out of the alley and into the street.

By now, dozens of Stormtroopers had arrived and were breaking up into units to patrol the alleys and search the nearby buildings. All Terrain Defense Pod vehicles lumbered down the streets, their cannons trained on the various alleyways while Gunships roared overhead scanning the rooftops. Ezra couldn't remember such an intense search on Lothal but maybe it was inevitable. After his crew's numerous successes against the Empire, it only made sense that Imperial military would escalate their presence on the planet. Thankfully no one seemed interested as he passed by. Ezra looked like just another automaton in the Imperial war machine.

"Hey you!" someone shouted behind him.

Ezra gulped as he turned around to see a Stormtrooper approached him. He could try running for it but he wasn't so sure how far he would get with so many troops and machines flooding the streets.

"What are you doing here? This entire sector is under lockdown," demanded the Stormtrooper.

"I was supposed to transport supplies to the outpost. Then that ship crashed and in the chaos…I got lost sir," Ezra asked, feigning embarrassment. Hopefully no one would think twice about a dumb cadet. Ezra could only imagine what the Inquisitor was thinking right now since she could easily hear what was going inside that crate. Probably had her fingers ready on her lightsaber.

"Cadets," the Stormtrooper grumbled under his breath. "Follow the main street back that way and turn right at the third intersection. Now get out of here."

"Yes sir," replied Ezra who pushed the pallet briskly down the street. He'd go faster but that might look suspicious. Minutes seemed like hours as he passed more and more troopers along with more AT-DPs. All it would take is just one of those bucket heads to get curious and check inside the contents of the box Ezra was pushing along and it would all be over. He couldn't believe he was actually risking his life to save an Inquisitor. Granted he had no idea there was more than one before today but he never imagined he would actually be trying to help someone like her and Ezra knew what kind of person she was.

He could sense the dark side radiating from her. It was the same feeling Ezra felt from this morning and whenever he was close to this new Inquisitor. If she was trained in the dark arts like the other one, she could not be trusted. The dark side was evil. Kanan drove that point into almost every training session. You give into it, you open yourself up to terrible things. While Jedi resisted such things, the first Inquisitor Ezra encountered was the complete opposite. He delighted into torturing and killing. He laughed during their last encounter as he taunted a frightened Ezra about his impending death. Ezra managed to summon a creature to fight him but in doing so touched the dark side for a short time. That experience left him feeling cold for days afterwards and it wasn't a feeling he wanted to feel again. So to meet someone else who not only accepts that but embraced it couldn't be a good person.

Still this Inquisitor was on the run and desperate. Just maybe Ezra and the others could make some kind of useful intel out of her. If she was just like the other Inquisitor in terms of rank within the Empire then she was probably the highest ranking officer the rebels have come across who was willing to barter with them. That didn't mean that Ezra was going to trust her and especially not take her to the Ghost. But he did need to get her someplace safe along with medical supplies to treat her wounds. He couldn't afford to go to someone he knew on Lothal and put them at risk which left only one place.

Ezra was relieved when he found no one around his old home. The building had been abandoned since his parents were taken by the Empire but Ezra still came back every now and then especially when he needed to lay low. He glanced around to make sure no one was following him then headed towards the front door. Ezra used the old key card his parents gave him years ago to unlock the door and push the pallet inside.

"Alright we're clear," Ezra said.

The lid flew off the crate and the Inquisitor slowly climbed out. She nearly tripped in the process, groaning in pain every time she moved her injured knee. Yet she refused to stop and was somehow able to stay on her feet once she was out.

She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. "Not exactly the 500 Republica," the Inquisitor commented, referring to the most exclusive residential tower on Coruscant.

"Beggars can't be choosers," replied Ezra. He headed towards the trapdoor hidden underneath a cargo crate. "I'll get the medical supplies. Take a seat and I'll be back in one second," he said.

Ezra shoved the crate aside and pulled the trap door open, climbing down to the basement below. His parents used to transmit messages across Lothal here, speaking out against the Imperial occupation. They learned the hard way that talk accomplishes nothing against the Empire. He was checking through the supplies when he heard a thud behind him. He turned to see the Inquisitor had dropped down into the basement and somehow landed on her feet, bad knee and all.

"I said I would be back," Ezra grumbled.

"I don't trust you," the Inquisitor stated bluntly.

"The feeling's mutual," Ezra replied.

The Inquisitor snorted in amusement and limped over to a wall to lean against before sitting down. "So where's your master?" she asked.

"You don't want to know. He'd probably want to kill you regardless of whether you were injured or not," Ezra said.

"Doesn't sound very Jedi to me," scoffed the Inquisitor.

"He does what he has to," Ezra said. Maybe by playing on the idea that Kanan could be ruthless could be another incentive on keeping the Inquisitor at bay should she have any funny ideas. He retrieved a kolto pack and some bandages.

"Alright you need to remove that armor," Ezra stated.

"A Jedi and a doctor too?" the Inquisitor chuckled.

"Hard to treat skin that's covered up," Ezra sighed, getting irritated by his guest's endless mocking. The Inquisitor reached up and tapped the side of her helmet. The face guard covering her face retracted. Underneath was the face of a young human woman with pale skin and yellow eyes. The same kind of yellow eyes the other Inquisitor had. She unhooked the bottom locks on her helmet and pulled it off, revealing jet black hair in a short bob cut style along with a big bruise on her forehead. Ezra had to admit that even though she was a dangerous Force trained assassin, she was very attractive.

"I thought there was only one of you," remarked Ezra.

"Did you really think the Empire would have only one Inquisitor to handle a galaxy full of Force-sensitives?" she laughed.

"Well then how many are there?" Ezra spoke.

"You'll sleep better not knowing," replied the Inquisitor. Well she certainly was the talkative type, not revealing anything she knew.

"You got a name?" Ezra asked as the Inquisitor began unhooking her chest plate armor.

"That's the first thing they take from you and I'll dress my wounds myself," she replied as she pulled off the chest plate. Underneath was a black skin suit that seemed more for comfort than anything else. She moved onto her arm and leg plates, quickly detaching their locks and pulling them off. It was clear the Inquisitor's armor was meant to be worn for hours on end but also easy to take on and off.

Ezra frowned as he handed her the medical supplies. "How can someone take your name?"

"Easily," remarked the Inquisitor. She applied kolto to the bandages and wrapped them around her blaster wounds.

"Then what do you call yourself then?"

"Second Sister," the Inquisitor replied.

"What kind of a name is that?" asked Ezra.

"One you should be glad is no longer a part of the Empire. Otherwise you wouldn't still be alive," she answered.

"I'd keep the threats to yourself if I were you. You wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for me and you still need me if you want to get off this planet," Ezra shot back.

"And I suppose you're doing this all from the bottom of your charitable heart?" the Second Sister asked mockingly.

"No. The Inquisitor I keep running into seems pretty high up in the Empire and I'm guessing you were too." replied Ezra.

The Second Sister smiled, "You want to know what I know. Now that is a motive I can believe."

" _Spectre 6 come in,"_ Ezra's comlink chimed with Kanan's voice.

"I'm guessing you haven't mentioned me to your friends," commented Second Sister.

"Just let me talk to them. They'll understand," Ezra told her. He climbed up the ladder and out of the basement for a little privacy. Thankfully the Sister didn't try to follow him.

"This is Spectre 6," Ezra answered his com.

" _You missed the rendezvous point. Everything alright?"_ Kanan asked.

"Yeah. I had to make a detour," Ezra said, trying to think of a way to presenting his Master with what just happened gently. Hopefully he wouldn't freak out too much.

" _What kind of detour?"_ Hera responded. Great, now he was going to have to break this to both Kanan and Hera at once.

"Uhh…remember that Inquisitor who stole that imperial shuttle in the spaceport?" asked Ezra.

"Yeah," Kanan said and it was clear he did not like where this was heading.

"Well her ship crashed and one thing led to another annnnnddddd….I'm helping her," Ezra groaned.

"WHAT?!" Hera and Kanan both screamed into the com.


	4. Chapter 4

"Absolutely not!" Kanan shouted. Ezra winced, having hoped to hear a different answer and for it to not be so loud. He had just finished explaining how he helped the Inquisitor escape into hiding at his old home and that she was willing to reveal classified information in exchange for transport off the planet. Not only did Kanan and Hera both refused the offer, they were equally livid that Ezra was the one who came up with the deal.

"But Kanan…" Ezra protested.

"No buts Ezra. I want you out of there and as far away from that Inquisitor now," Kanan ordered.

"I'm sorry could you repeat that? You're breaking up," Ezra said before making some static noise and then deactivating his com. He was in a world of trouble the second the others get here and they would come. What Ezra needed to do was make sure they didn't try to kill Second Sister the second they stepped inside. That would only end badly for everyone. Why couldn't the others see that this was a great opportunity for them? Sure it was a risk but it could pay off big. This was all falling apart and he needed to fix it fast.

Ezra headed towards the opening to the basement. He wasn't naïve enough to climb back down and give the Inquisitor the bad news face to face. "My friends are on the way but they want to know you're sincere," he called out.

It was a lie but he wasn't about to say that they were probably coming to kill her. At first Ezra was answered by only silence. Was Second Sister asleep or passed out? Or was she merely waiting for him to climb down to investigate and attack? A round metallic device slowly levitated up the opening and into the air. Ezra was concerned it might be a bomb but it wasn't flashing and it didn't look like any explosive he'd seen before. He snatched it out of the air and took a closer look. It had a computer plug in so that meant it was probably a data storage device but Ezra's never seen one like this.

"Have you ever heard of Enigma?" Second Sister called out.

* * *

"I'm going to kill him," Kanan grumbled as he made his way through the alleyways in the capital city with Sabine, and Zeb. No one was happy when the youngest member of the crew revealed that he was with the very Inquisitor whose face was plastered on virtually every corner and was the subject of a manhunt the likes of which Lothal had never seen before. Stormtroopers and walkers were deployed all over the city and didn't seem like they were going away anytime soon.

"Get in line. What was he thinking?" muttered Sabine. Kanan shared her frustration. Ezra just put them into a dangerous situation they shouldn't have any part of. The Empire was trying to hunt down this Inquisitor and Kanan's padawan in his infinite wisdom decided to help her. It wasn't the fact that they were helping a fugitive that angered Kanan but it was helping a practitioner of the dark side. He felt the cold when he saw that Inquisitor cut down the Stormtroopers, the same feeling he got from the Pau'an Inquisitor. The last thing they need is to get involved with someone like that.

"He wasn't," scoffed Zeb.

As if Ezra's insane action was frustrating enough, the three of them had to sneak their way through a city under martial law. They may not have been the subject of the massive manhunt but that didn't mean a trooper couldn't recognize them so they had to move carefully. The longer they took to get to Ezra's old home, the more Kanan was worried the Inquisitor had turned on the boy and killed him. How in the galaxy could Ezra not realize the danger he was in? This was like trying to take in a wild Rancor as a pet.

They finally arrived at the Bridger estate which didn't have any signs of a battle. At least the Imperials hadn't stormed the place. But that didn't put Kanan at ease. He could sense the darkness and cold emanating from the building. The Inquisitor was definitely inside. If she did anything to Ezra, Kanan was going to make her pay. He drew his lightsaber and Zeb readied their blaster all while Sabine tampered with the door lock. The second the door slide open, Kanan activated his lightsaber and rushed inside with the others right behind him.

"Whoa. Hey guys," said Ezra who was a little surprised by his friends' sudden entrance. Thankfully he seemed completely fine. He didn't seem frightened or scared at all, not the behavior of someone who was being held hostage or threatened. Ezra was actually working on an old com unit that his parents used to broadcast anti-Imperial messages.

"Where's the Inquisitor?" demanded Kanan.

"She's in the basement. Look Kanan…" Ezra tried to say.

Kanan headed towards the opening in the floor and leaped down into the basement. There he got his first glimpse of her. The Inquisitor was resting against a wall, bandages wrapped around her left knee, chest, and right forearm. Her description matched the picture the Empire had released to the public. Probably to make sure she didn't remove her armor and try blend in with the crowd. Her bruised head was slumped, dark lined eyes closed. If she was on the run from the Empire then this must be the first time she actually managed to get some sleep.

The Inquisitor's eyes suddenly shot open and she lifted her hand up. Kanan didn't have a chance to react before he was sent flying backwards, crashing into a nearby wall and landing on top of a tool bin before rolling onto the floor. The Inquisitor pulled out her lightsaber, igniting it as she got to her feet. Kanan got back to his fee albeit with a backache but still ready for a fight. That was until he noticed the Inquisitor was having trouble standing on one leg. That injury to her must have been worse than a simple blaster wound.

"Killing me isn't going to be so easy," the Inquisitor said, activating the automated spinning function on her lightsaber.

"Wait Kanan stop!" Ezra shouted as he came sliding down the ladder, quickly running into between the two of them.

"Ezra move!" Kanan ordered. Zeb slide down with his blaster rifle raised the second his feet touched the ground. Sabine soon followed with her twin blasters ready to fire and probably would have if Ezra hadn't jumped in between everyone.

"Everyone just calm down!" shouted Ezra.

"I take it the deal's off," the Inquisitor said to Ezra. She was incredibly calm considering the circumstances.

"As if we'd ever make one with someone like you," Zeb spat at the Inquisitor.

"You don't even know me and you've already judged me. I'm offended," she chuckled.

"Move Ezra," Sabine ordered.

"Not until you listen," Ezra protested, standing his ground. "She gave me a device that decrypts Imperial transmissions. Specifically one officers use to communicate with other."

"Enigma?" asked Sabine, knowing what he was referring to. The Empire uses an incredibly complex encryption program to pass along information named Enigma. According to Hera, other rebel cells all over the Outer Rim have been trying to decipher it for years with no success. Ezra had gone undercover into the Imperial Academy on Lothal to steal a decoder but it was only good for low level information at best. Enigma was the Empire encryption program not just to pass along sensitive information but also real time transmissions used by Star Destroyers, military outposts, etc.

"I was trying to hook it into the com upstairs when you three barged in," Ezra nodded.

"Are we going to kill each other or not? I haven't had an hour of sleep in the past three days and I'll like to get some," the Inquisitor chimed in.

Kanan glared at her then at Ezra. "Everyone back up top," he said. He then pointed to the Inquisitor and said, "You stay here."

"Yes sir general sir," she said mockingly saluting him but kept her lightsaber active. Kanan sighed in annoyance as the team climbed up one by one. He was the last one up and could only do it with one arm as he slowly climbed up the ladder while keeping his lightsaber up and ready should the Inquisitor decide to suddenly strike. It was only once he was above ground that Kanan deactivated his weapon and he could hear the Inquisitor's lightsaber deactivating as well. Just for good measure, he closed the lid over the opening and put a box on top of it. That wouldn't stop her but at least it would slow her down should she try to get out.

"What were you thinking Ezra?" Kanan demanded.

"Like I said before. He wasn't," muttered Zeb.

"I was thinking about actually doing something that could help us fight the Empire instead of just stealing for thugs and blowing up Tie Fighters the Empire can replace in a day," snapped Ezra.

"Wow where did this come from?" asked Sabine, a little put off by Ezra's sudden hostility along with everyone else.

"Maybe I'm getting sick of being ignored every time I have an idea just because you think I'm a kid," stated Ezra.

Zeb rolled his eyes. "You are a kid."

"How come whenever Hera and Kanan come up with some plan that risks our lives, no one questions them but when I come up with an idea none of you trust me enough to listen," protested Ezra.

"This isn't about trust Ezra," said Kanan. "We do trust you but we don't trust her and we can't afford to make deals with someone as dangerous as her."

"I'm not saying we should trust her. I'm saying we should use her," countered Ezra. "At least check if the device works. What's the harm in that?"

Kanan didn't protest that. There had nothing to lose by verifying if that device was genuine. He did however have other problems with Ezra's idea. He turned to Sabine and asked, "Can you finish it?"

"No problem," Sabine answered and headed over the com.

Kanan turned his attention back to his Padawan. "Ezra can you sense the Inquisitor below us?" he asked.

"Yeah…she comes off as…" Ezra said, closing his eyes to concentrate.

"Cold. That's because she's embraced the dark side and the dark side feeds on anger, lies, betrayal and death," Kanan interrupted him.

"I hate it when they start talking Jedi mumbo jumbo," Zeb groaned.

"Say this pans out and she's telling the truth then what? We take her onboard the Ghost and that's when she decides to kill us. Or maybe she's a spy waiting to get as close to as many rebels as possible so she can report back their identities to the Empire. And even if she isn't, she's very dangerous and who knows how many people she'll kill if we simply let her go," Kanan said.

"First off if I wanted to kill all of you, you'd already be dead," the Inquisitor called out from the basement. "Second your little friend already made it clear that I was to be dropped off on another planet once our deal is concluded, not join your little band of misfits. Third and this is the most important one, could you quiet down up there? I'm trying to sleep and I'm sure the neighbors don't appreciate the noise either."

Kanan groaned, feeling stupid the Inquisitor just heard everything they said. The rest all exchanged awkward looks before the com unit Sabine worked on activated.  
"Almost got it," she called out.

Everyone quickly gathered around her as the Mandalorian finished hooking everything up. All the com produced was static and Kanan thought this was proof the Inquisitor was just screwing with them until he heard something. "Can you hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah. Let me see if I can fix the audio…" Sabine said. "…there."

"… _the Iron Victory is to take up sector 17 while the Enforcer is move to sector 25. You are ordered to maintain a full search detail until further notice,"_ a voice came through.

" _Understood. Joris out,"_ another voice replied.

"Joris. I know that name. He's the commanding officer aboard the Star Destroyer Enforcer," stated Kanan.

"You think this might be the real thing?" asked Sabine. Ezra threw Kanan an 'I told you so' look.

"Maybe," Kanan said, still not convinced. Maybe he didn't want to be convinced. He wanted the Inquisitor to be an evil spy just waiting to stab them all in the back. But something like this was too good to pass up. Even Zeebo, an old friend of Ezra's family, managed to steal thousands of classified files about the Empire not too long ago couldn't find anything about Enigma. If this was real then it wasn't just the rebels on Lothal who might benefit from what else the Inquisitor had but every other resistance movement in the galaxy.

"I want to talk to her alone," Kanan said.

"You sure?" Zeb asked with concern and rightly so. The last several times Kanan's gone up against an Inquisitor, they all ended badly for him.

"I need to do this," Kanan told him.

"Well just in case she tries anything, I've got a grenade ready to throw down there," Zeb said quite loudly and on purpose.

"I heard that," the Inquisitor called out.

"Good," he replied, making sure that was loud enough for her to hear too.

"By the way her name is Second Sister," Ezra added.

"What kind of name is that?" asked Sabine. Ezra replied with a shrug.

Kanan reopened the opening to the basement and climbed down. The Inquisitor was resting against the wall again. Maybe she wasn't lying about being tired though Kanan didn't doubt she was doing it with one eye open.

"Who does a girl have to kill around here to get some sleep," muttered Second Sister.

"None of us," replied Kanan. "You're the second Inquisitor we've seen. How many of there are you?"

Sister held up a finger and waved it back and forth. "Tsk tsk tsk. I've already given you your free sample with that device. Whatever else I know comes with a price tag," she said.

"Ezra told me us what you want. You need a ride off planet," Kanan stated.

"Well buying a ticket at the spaceport isn't really an option anymore after my little entrance," remarked Sister.

"Yeah I was there. You came in on an Imperial Cargo Freighter didn't you," Kanan insinuated.

"I didn't have a lot of travel options. The Empire was closing in on me and it was the first ship I could find," Sister shrugged.

"So why not hijack the freighter in flight instead of waiting for it to land?" asked Kanan.

"I was trying to keep a low profile and jump ship the first chance I got without being seen. But the inventory droid onboard spotted me and I was forced to deal with the crew," Sister said. By deal with, she meant kill.

"Then why abandon ship after you took control?" wondered Kanan. He was suspicious why she seemingly had a chance to escape but chose to land and steal another ship. The more she told her story, the more suspicious he became. Kanan was still certain Sister might be a spy of some sort.

"The ship's controls were locked in autopilot. I guess the helmsmen did that after I started killing the crew and I'm not very good at slicing. I didn't have a choice but wait until the ship landed and find another," Sister answered.

"You'll excuse me if I find this a little convenient. You just happen to be carrying an Enigma decrypter around and end up meeting one of my people," Kanan stated.

"I stole that device because I figured it would come in handy and Jedi Junior found me, not the other way around. He was the one who wanted help me," Sister pointed out.

Kanan stared at her, trying to get a read on her. He could feel her presence in the Force, a maelstrom of darkness converged into one spot and yet he felt something else. He could put his finger on it. Maybe she was lying about something but Kanan doubted it would cause a feeling like this. There was something buried inside of her, multiple emotions bubbling on the surface and yet it was if they were also shielding something.

"You done trying to slice into my brain?" Sister asked, knowing what he was trying to do. It wasn't as if Kanan was strong enough to do so and the fact was that Sister was far too powerful for something like that even if he was.

"You know I can't do that. You're too powerful…in the dark side," Kanan said.

Sister rolled her eyes. "Oh here we go," she muttered with contempt. "If you're going to start to lecture me on the whole dark side is evil routine then save your breath. The only difference between the Jedi and the Sith are that the Sith are at least honest about what they are. Jedi are the real liars. The Sith will stab you in the heart but the Jedi will stab you in the back."

The way she spoke, it had to have come from personal experience. You don't hate someone that much from being told to. Now that Kanan thought about it, she could have been old enough to have been a Jedi youngling or a Padawan before Order 66. But that didn't mean that Kanan was going to establish a bond with her. She was too deep in the dark side to come back.

"Why does the Empire want you dead?" Kanan changed the topic.

"It's the Inquisitor retirement package. Turns out the Empire doesn't like it when one of their Force Wielders becomes too powerful," Sister answered.

Kanan supposed that made sense. The Sith Lords who ruled the Empire would want their servants to be strong enough to be useful but not powerful enough to challenge them. That was of course assuming the Inquisitor was telling the truth and not just flattering herself. Kanan considered his next response, mulling over the dangers of his next decision. He wasn't happy about it but he had to consider not just the benefit to the resistance on this planet but others as well. If they ever wanted to beat the Empire then they needed to take chances.

"Alright you have a deal," Kanan finally said. "We'll get you off planet in exchange for more information. Until then, we'll get you to another safe house outside the city."

"Another safe house?" moaned Sister.

"Well I'm not keeping you on our ship and once you we do take you onboard, you get off the second we land at wherever you want to and then we go our separate ways," Kanan explained, the terms being nonnegotiable.

"Agreed," Sister replied.

"Get some rest. We leave at dark," Kanan said. He turned to head back up the ladder.

"By the way when you first arrived here, were you planning on killing me?" Sister asked.

Kanan stopped and turned around. "I would have done what was necessary," he said.

"Like I said before. At least the Sith are honest," Sister remarked.

"You're not a Sith," commented Kanan.

"And you're not a Jedi," retorted Sister. Kanan wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment.

"Hey it's almost time. Turn it to HoloNet News. He always broadcasts around now," Ezra said quite loudly one floor above.

"He enjoys Imperial propaganda? He'd be the first," Sister snorted.

"He wants to see Senator Gall Travis's transmission. You know the one person in the Imperial Senate who has the guts to speak out against the Empire. I'm sure you've been assigned to hunt him down," Kanan scoffed. He turned to climb up the ladder.

"Oh I did hunt down traitors for the Empire but I assure, Senator Travis is no traitor," Sister said. Kanan turned to see a smirk on her face. His first thought was that she was lying and trying to turn him against Travis. Infiltrate the rebels and destroy them from within. But Kanan had to consider the idea that maybe she wasn't lying at all.

Kanan filed that thought away as he climbed up the ladder.

* * *

His rage burned as Sixth Brother waited for his shuttle to land on Lothal. That Second Sister managed to evade him on Corulag was infuriating enough but she also managed to escape unnoticed on a freighter to the Outer Rim. The Sixth Brother had always prided himself on being a hunter and that no prey could ever escape him. Such passion for violence was in his blood as a Zygerrian. His people had conquered and enslaved dozens of species before being subdued by the Jedi. During the Clone Wars, they brought back their old ways until they were brutally conquered by the Empire.

Sixth was identified as a young age as being Force Sensitive. He had no memory prior to his training in the dark side though he could guess his real parents were dead. Few ever gave up their children willingly. But they meant nothing to him anymore than even the rest of the Inquisitors meant anything to him. All that mattered to him was the hunt and the Second Sister was now his prey. Unfortunately, she had proven to be far more elusive then he predicted. Sixth Brother always seemed to be one step behind her but not anymore. He would find Second Sister and deliver her head to Lord Vader.

His shuttle came to a landing at the Imperial Complex, the headquarters of Imperial officials overseeing Lothal. The large building dwarfed everything within the capital city. Sixth could help but feel it was appropriate. He initiated the landing sequence and touched down inside the main hangar. Only two people were waiting for him but he didn't need an honor guard like a Moff or the Emperor, he just needed to speak to those that had information he needed.

Sixth exited the shuttle and approached his welcoming party. One was a human dressed in Imperial armor, the rank insignia on his right breast indicating that he was a member of the Imperial Security Bureau. But it was the Pau'an that had Sixth Brother's full attention. The Grand Inquisitor was the first Inquisitor with their order and as such was granted authority over the others. Sixth could remember the Grand Inquisitor in some of his earliest memories, torturing him and training him to become the warrior and hunter he was today.

Sixth Brother came to a halt and knelt down on one knee. "My lord," he said.

"You may rise," the Grand Inquisitor spoke. Sixth rose and stood at attention. The Pau'an then gestured towards his companion. "This is Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau. He will be our liaison with Imperial forces on Lothal," he said.

Sixth didn't greet the human or acknowledge him in any way. "Has there been any further sightings?" he asked.

"Several troopers were incapacitated and killed after the fugitive crashed landed the stolen shuttle. She had assistance from a young boy holding a lightsaber," Kallus answered.

That caught Sixth's interest. "The Rebel cell on Lothal is aiding her?"

"I wouldn't have believed it either but it seems desperation breeds unlikely collusions," said the Grand Inquisitor.

"We've locked down the entire city and are searching every building but so far no sign of her," added Kallus.

"Show me her last location and I will track her down," Sixth stated. He was an expert tracker, being able to read disturbances on the ground in a way few could. He once hunted a fugitive down for days by following his tracks through a dense jungle. Sixth's patience paid off and he brought back a head to show for it.

"You will track her and I will follow," the Grand Inquisitor spoke. "If the Second Sister is still on this planet and being sheltered by the Jedi then one of us will not be enough."

"I understand," Sixth said, disappointed the kill wouldn't his alone.

"I will have a squad ready to deploy the second you have her location. Meanwhile Senator Trayvis is about to make his speech. If the Rebels figure out his message and locate him, he might be able to expedite your search provided it does not ruin his cover," Kallus informed them.

"We'll make due without him," Sixth said firmly then turned to his overseer. "Come my lord. The hunt awaits."


	5. Chapter 5

"Trayvis a traitor?" Hera whispered in disbelief. It wasn't the fact that Kanan said the Inquisitor told him such a thing that probably surprised her but that Kanan was actually considering it. He emerged from his negotiation with the Inquisitor to find the others watching one of Senator Trayvis's transmissions. Kanan told them he came to a deal with the Second Sister and that they were going to smuggle her out of the city at nightfall. Zeb wasn't pleased and Kanan couldn't blame him but this wasn't a deal they could refuse. The Inquisitor's decrypter alone was beyond value, who knows what other knowledge she might have.

But after everyone agreed with the plan, Kanan contacted Hera who was back at the Ghost and filled her in on the situation. She was nervous about the plan but agreed with Kanan's decision. Then he revealed the Inquisitor's parting information or more likely taunt. That Senator Gall Trayvis was no traitor to the Empire. Kanan had to keep his voice down as he didn't want anyone else hearing about this. Who knows how they would react, especially Ezra who idolized the senator.

"She's lying. Probably trying to sow discord among the resistance just like any infiltrator would," Hera spoke over the com.

"That's what I thought…" admitted Kanan. "…until I started thinking back to when we tried to rescue Master Unduli. It was Traysis's transmission that led us right into that trap."

"He couldn't have known. The Empire probably allowed Trayvis to hack into their prison database, knowing he would broadcast it and bring people like us into their trap," protested Hera.

"Maybe but what do we even know about the man?" wondered Kanan.

"It sounds like you're trying to believe the Inquisitor," Hera pointed out.

"I don't know what I believe right now. I'm not saying I trust her but…I think we need to be more careful about whom we do trust. Especially if it's just some voice on the HoloNet," Kanan sighed.

"You'll get no argument from me but don't mention this to the others until later. If they hear this from the Inquisitor, it'll make things even more tense," said Hera.

"How could things get any more tense?" grumbled Kanan.

"You'll probably find out when you leave with her later tonight," Hera stated.

"Yeah not looking forward to that… I can't believe we're now helping Inquisitors. What is the galaxy coming to?" Kanan mumbled.

* * *

Hours passed before dawn finally came. A curfew was in effect so the streets should mostly be empty aside from the patrols consisting of Stormtroopers, walkers, and tanks. The city was under a complete lockdown and Hera couldn't bring the Ghost to pick them up for several reasons. One, they didn't know if Second Sister wouldn't turn on them and try to take the Ghost by force the second she stepped foot on it. Two, gunships were patrolling all over the skies and while the Ghost could handle one or two of them, it wouldn't stand a chance taking on the amount the Imperials had dispatched all over the city.

Sabine took the lead to scout ahead followed by Zeb who had the probably the worst job of helping the Second Sister keep up with everyone. The Inquisitor's arm was draped around his neck as she limped along beside him. The Lasat said he would have preferred to bungee jump into a Sarlacc Pit but the Imperial defector was in no condition to run which was something everyone needed to do in order to get out of this alive so she needed help. Following behind them and guarding the flank was Ezra and Kanan. Truthfully, Kanan wanted to be in the back to make sure he could keep an eye on Sister at all times.

Getting her to hand over her lightsaber almost came to violence but Zeb made it clear he wasn't going to help her along if she was armed. Sister eventually agreed to relinquish it but only if Ezra held it. Maybe she thought it would be easier to rip it out of his hands should she feel the need arises. Ezra was intrigued by the weapon, examining it as they moved along.

"How do you think this thing spins like it does? I mean the emitter is supposed to be inside the handle right?" Ezra asked.

"You can ask that murderer later. For now put that thing away and keep your eyes peeled," sighed Kanan.

Ezra clipped the lightsaber onto his belt. "Yeah well it's kinda hard to ask her things like that when you call her things like murderer," he pointed out.

"It's what she is Ezra. Just because the Empire wants her dead doesn't erase all the terrible things she's done," Kanan said.

"And how do you know what she's done?" Ezra asked.

"She's an Inquisitor who served the Empire. That's how," Kanan snapped, sounding a little too harsh. He understood that Ezra still had that optimism that comes with youth but sometimes he was a little too naïve.

"Look I get that you don't trust her Kanan but if we're even going to have half a chance of beating the Empire one day, we can't exactly be picky about who our allies are," argued Ezra.

"Incoming! Take cover!" Sabine shouted up ahead. Everyone quickly ducked inside of doorways as the alleyway they were sneaking through had minimal cover. An Imperial gunship passed overhead, its searchlights scanning the alleyway. Kanan and Ezra held their breathes, waiting for it to pass on but it just stayed there hovering above the street. Gun turrets twirled around on the underside as if searching for a target.

"You think it saw us?" Ezra whispered.

"Get ready to move," Kanan whispered back. The gunship stayed situated, unmoving. If that thing spotted them they were going to need to make a run for it. But to Kanan's relief, the machine ascended upwards and moved on.

"All clear," Sabine called out. Everyone emerged from hiding as they got back underway. "We need to move faster. Next time we may not be so lucky," Sabine told the others.

"Yeah well tell that to the dead weight here," grumbled Zeb.

"Call me that again and you'll be the one who's dead weight in every sense of the word," Sister warned, shoving Zeb's arm off her.

"Will you two cut it out and keep it down," Kanan snapped.

"Don't lecture me like I'm one of your children," Sister hissed.

Ezra quickly rushed in-between them all. "Can you all kill each other later and not while the city is looking for us," he said, trying to calm everyone down.

The ground slightly shook, silencing everyone. Kanan recognized the slight rumble from other encounters he's had. "Troop Transport…move," he urged everyone. The five fugitives rushed the opposite direction as an Imperial Troop Transport moved around a corner, nearly spotting them before they could find cover. While technically considered to be a carrier repulse craft due to its hovering mobility, truthfully it was a floating tank armed to the teeth. The transport's search lights shined back and forth, thankfully nowhere near the group as it passed by.

"Okay this is not going to work," Sabine stated.

"You're right. Even if one of us wasn't injured, we'd never make it out of here," Kanan agreed.

"Then what do you suggest?" asked Sister.

"We go underground," Ezra said.

* * *

Six moved through the alleys of the city, frustrated by the countless false clues he's already shifted through in the past hour. He was an expert tracker but even the greatest tracker in the universe would have difficulty tracking his quarry through this city. It didn't help that the local troops had disturbed the crash site and the battle scene where Second Sister had killed multiple soldiers. But in the end all it did was slow him down. He would find the traitor and have his trophy.

Overhead the Grand Inquisitor was watching him from an Imperial gunship. He waited patiently for his underling to find their target but Six knew that his master's patience would run out eventually. Also onboard was a group of troopers for backup but Six doubted they would be needed. The two Inquisitors would be able to handle the traitor and whatever Jedi she somehow convinced to aide her. Six was able to recognize Second Sister's tracks along with her small Jedi ally but finding their trail was difficult. But he did have one advantage. The subtle trail of a small repulse machine was left in the same alleyway where they escaped from.

Six came to the conclusion that Sister had been hidden inside of a hovercrate while the small Jedi pushed it. It was the only explanation why how the fugitive managed to escape unnoticed. So he followed the trail, albeit with difficulty. Lothal City's paved streets and alleys made finding tracks nearly impossible to the untrained eye and challenging even for one who was. But he would not give up. Six would find his prey no matter if he had to rip apart every building in this city.

* * *

"The sewers?" asked an incredulous Zeb. The four rebels and their Inquisitor ally found a manhole on Ezra's advice but none of them seemed very excited about the idea. For Zeb it was even worse. A Lasat had a better sense of smell then a human so he'll be the one who suffers the most from the smell. A protocol droid was guarding the entrance but a simple shot of Ezra's lightsaber blaster short-circuited the unit.

"They used to be flooded but after the Empire started rationing, they're pretty dry," Ezra explained as he headed over to a nearby terminal and started to slice through security.

"The water may be gone but the smell isn't," Zeb rubbed his nose, already able to sense the unpleasant odor below.

"The Empire won't be so careless to not guard the exits by the edge of the city or spaceport," Sister commented.

"Yeah but they won't guard every single manhole in the city," replied Ezra.

"Besides we don't have much choice with your injuries us slowing down," Sabine told the Inquisitor. Sister glared at her but didn't say a word of dissent.

Ezra must have succeeded as the manhole opened up. "See piece of cake," he smiled triumphantly.

His smile faded as the entire area around the manhole lite up with a spotlight. Everyone glanced up to see a gunship descending from the air, rotating its cannons towards them.

"Move!" Kanan shouted. Everyone quickly jumped down as two missiles fired from the gunship. The manhole exploded above them as bricks and rubble followed them down the hole.

* * *

" _Agent Kallus. A gunship has spotted the fugitive and the rebels escaping into the sewers. Grid 37, Junction 9,"_ reported an officer over the com.

" _Secure every exit in that area and send in squads to flush them out,"_ ordered Agent Kallus.

" _That will take time,"_ replied the officer.

Six had heard enough. He wasn't going to wait for backup or help that he didn't need. Second Sister was his kill and he wouldn't share it with anyone else. If the Jedi get in the way, he would kill them too. Then Lord Vader would reward him not only for ridding the galaxy of the traitor but two Jedi as well. Six rushed towards the nearest manhole cover and activated his lightsaber. He drove the crimson blade down into the metal and cut in a circular motion.

Beside him the Grand Inquisitor landed, having jumped from the gunship above. "I don't like to wait either," he stated.

* * *

Ezra groaned as he regained consciousness. He didn't know if anything was broken but he could move all his fingers, toes, arms, and legs so he considered himself lucky. Ezra was covered in dust and small rocks, thankfully nothing better landed on him. He glanced up to total darkness. The manhole must have been covered over in debris. Guess they won't be getting out that way, not that they actually would. That gunship was probably still out there.

"Everyone okay?" asked Kanan, activating his lightsaber to use as a lamp. Ezra did the same and Hera pulled out some flashlights, handing one to Zeb. Everyone was on their feet and unharmed except for one. Sister was lying on the ground, groaning as she failed every time to get to her feet. The fall must have exasperated her injuries even further.

"You alright?" asked Ezra, quickly checking over her injuries.

"Do I look alright?!" snapped Sister, clearly in pain.

"Hey stuff that!" Kanan shot back. "We're risking our lives trying to save you so a little appreciation is in order."

"You're only doing it for the information," scoffed Sister.

"Yeah and the cost of that probably isn't worth the mess we're in. So shut your mouth and let us save you before we consider you more trouble then you're worth," Kanan warned. The former Inquisitor finally relented, not speaking another word of protest. She was completely dependent upon the crew now and she knew it.

"Zeb you'll have to carry her," Kanan said.

"Wonderful. Now I'm a baby carriage," Zeb grumbled. Ezra couldn't see Sister's face with her helmet concealing it but he could tell she was furious. The Lasat, sharing her irritation, scooped her off the ground.

"Alright let's get moving. The Imperials will start flooding these tunnels with troopers so keep the light to a minimum and stay quiet," ordered Kanan.

The five fugitives made their way through the maze of metallic pipes. Ezra had the lead as he was the only one who had any experiences with the tunnels. The area they were in had lighting troubles, probably from years of neglect. But as they pressed forward, the tunnels started to get brighter with the wall lights providing enough illumination to shut off their flashlights and lightsabers.

Kanan activated his com, "Hera do you read me?"

He was answered with static. "We must be too deep underground. We're on our own," Kanan stated.

"Please tell me you actually have a plan on getting out of the city once we're back above ground," sighed Sister.

"We could steal some speeders or a troop transport," suggested Ezra.

"That's it? Just steal something and hope we don't get killed in the process?" groaned Sister.

"Stealing things is our specialty," Ezra replied.

"When we're not blowing them up," added Sabine.

"Or carrying Inquisitors who are heavier than they look," quipped Zeb.

"You people are insane," Sister grumbled.

"We've been called worse," chuckled Kanan.

Sister was growing more irritated from the others ganging up on her so she finally seemed to give up with her snarky comments. Ezra was starting to think they were going to have some peace and quiet until the Inquisitor glanced over her shoulder as if hearing something. "What is it?" asked Ezra.

"There's someone down here," whispered Sister.

"Who?" asked Kanan.

"Can't you sense him?" Sister asked.

Ezra stretched out with his senses and could feel another presence. He had already felt coldness emanating from Sister but now there was another feeling in the air slowly growing. There was another dark side user in the tunnels and he was getting closer.

"There's another Inquisitor down here," Ezra realized.

"Wonderful," muttered Sabine who drew her pistols. Ezra and Kanan drew their lightsabers but didn't activate them just yet.

"Great. Our old Pau'an friend is back," grumbled Zeb.

"Pau'an? You mean to tell me you've dealt with the Grand Inquisitor?" asked a disbelieving Sister.

"Grand Inquisitor?" asked Kanan.

"The leader of my former order. He answers only to the Moffs and Darth Vader. You must have really been a nuisance to the Empire to warrant his attention," Sister stated.

"Lucky us," grumbled Sabine.

"We need to get you out of here," Kanan told Sister then turned his attention to the others. "We'll split up. Ezra you lead Zeb out of here and get our Inquisitor friend to safety. Sabine and I will hold him off."

"No way. I'm staying too," protested Ezra.

"I'm with the kid on this one. We should stick together," agreed Zeb.

"Second Sister is too valuable to lose. That encryption device she gave us is almost priceless. Who knows what else she knows?" Kanan said.

"Nice to be appreciated," muttered Sister.

Kanan pulled out the Enigma device he had hooked on his belt and handed it over to Zeb. "Get this back to Hera," he ordered.

"Kanan you'll need my help against him," Ezra argued.

"Ezra you need to hurry. I can already feel him getting closer," Kanan stated. No one was really happy about the split but they didn't have much choice. If they all stayed together the odds were that someone was going to get killed and since Sister was the only one heavily injured, it would probably be her. They couldn't let that happen. This was bigger than just the group.

"Uhh not that I'm ungrateful for thinking I'm useful enough to help you fight an Inquisitor but what exactly do you expect me to do that the others couldn't?" asked an uncertain Sabine.

"Well I've tried fighting the Inquisitor with a lightsaber twice and that didn't end too well for me either time. Shooting him with a blaster hasn't worked either so I think it's time to try explosives," shrugged Kanan.

* * *

Six could feel the Sister's presence ahead. The hunt was nearly over and the kill would soon be upon them. He walked side by side with the Grand Inquisitor, together using their senses to track their target.

"We're getting close," Six said confidently.

"Yes but I sense something else. Something familiar," Grand Inquisitor stated. Curious as Six wasn't sensing anything other than his target.

They came to a two way junction. Six could already sense which way their target was escaping. He headed towards the one on the right. "This way my lord," he said.

"I sense the Jedi has separated from the traitor and have split up," the Pau'an said. "Go on ahead and deal with Second Sister and whatever rebels are aiding her. I will deal with the Jedi."

Six smiled. It seemed the kill would be his alone after all.

* * *

Ezra felt both a mix of anger and worry as he led Zeb and Sister through the tunnels. He should be with Kanan fighting that Jedi Hunter, not playing a guide. Sure he understood he needed to get an injured Sister to safety but why would he choose Sabine to help him? She was a warrior but wasn't prepared to fight someone like the Grand Inquisitor. At least Ezra had been training with Kanan in lightsaber combat, he understood the basics.

"Kanan will be fine kid. He knows what he's doing," Zeb tried to reassure him.

"Don't give him false hope," Sister muttered.

"Alright I've had it with you. Either you shut up or you can crawl out of here!" Zeb snapped.

Ezra turned a corner and realized he made a wrong turn as the tunnel led to a pipe hanging inside of a large vertical shaft. Must be the majority of the city's sewage flowed down. The shaft must have gone down for possibly miles though it was hard to tell as they could only see darkness.

"Uhh I think I made a wrong turn," Ezra commented.

"Good because if you actually wanted to take us here then I'd be concerned," Zeb quipped. The two turned around to head back.

"Stop!" Sister hissed.

"I thought I told you to shut up!" snapped Zeb.

Ezra was about to tell them both to be quiet when he realized he was feeling something. A coldness growing closer and closer. A figure rounded the corner. A large male figure in black armor and holding a circular lightsaber, the same kind as the Inquisitors. He stepped closer and into the light, revealing he was a Zygerrian. His shoulder pads had the imperial symbol on them just like the Grand Inquisitor and Second Sister.

"Six," Sister sighed.

"Hello sister," smiled the Zygerrian, igniting his lightsaber. It was another Inquisitor.

"Oh Karabas," gulped Zeb, sharing's Ezra's fear. The two backed up but they were running out of space with only the opening into the shaft closing in behind them.

"I missed you on Corulag," Six said to Sister.

"Not my fault you couldn't keep up. You always were a bit slow at everything," Sister mocked.

"And yet it seems that good things comes to those who wait," smiled Six. "Lord Vader will be most pleased when I not only bring your head but the heads of a rebel and a Jedi Padawan as well."

"Sorry but I like my head right where it is," Ezra said. He activated his lightsaber but knew they were at a severe disadvantage. Zeb was no Jedi and Ezra was still only a student. He had no delusions that he could take this guy on. Second Sister, the one person who possibly could, was far too injured to be any physical help. Ezra glanced back, keeping track of how much space they had left before the drop. Then he noticed something else. A metallic catwalk on the nearby walls, probably used by maintenance to get around.

"Zeb there's a catwalk in the shaft. Make a jump for it!" shouted Ezra. He fired stun bolts at Six who easily blocked everyone one but it slowed him down for a second. Long enough for the Lasat to leap out of the pipe and onto the catwalk with Sister. Ezra turned and jumped as well, feeling the heat of a lightsaber on his back. It must have just barely missed me before he leaped to safety. He was mid-air when he suddenly was tugged backwards by some unseen force. Now Ezra found himself floating in the air. He turned and saw one of Six's arms was raised with his eyes focusing. He was using the Force to float his enemy right back to him.

"Kid!" shouted Zeb. He set Sister down and pulled out his bo-rifle. He fired several shots but the Inquisitor easily deflected them all with his lightsaber.

"You want this boy back so badly? Go fetch!" laughed Six. He lowered his hand and Ezra suddenly dropped down into the abyss below.

* * *

"You realize this is a bad idea right?" Sabine asked as they set up their positions. They had multiple explosives lined along the walls and ceiling. Kanan doubted that the Inquisitor would be stupid enough to fall into a trap like this. But their options were very limited at the moment.

"Well I'm a little short of any good ones so we can't be picky," retorted Kanan. The two went silent as they could hear footsteps echoing down the tunnel. Sabine drew her blasters and Kanan activated his lightsaber.

"Twice we have fought before and twice I have beaten you," a familiar voice said. The Pau'an Inquisitor stepped around the corner, revealing himself. "And yet you still seek to face me again. You are either suicidal or stupid."

"Well my pilot might agree with you on the later," quipped Kanan, letting his enemy get closer.

The Pau'an glanced at Sabine. "Not the child I was expecting. Has your Padawan proven to be too poor of a student to be by your side now?"

"Who are you calling child?" growled Sabine.

"Clearly you must be a child if you think this little trap of yours would work," remarked the Inquisitor. He held up his hand and every planted explosive was ripped off the walls and ceilings and floated in the air. Kanan's hands shot up just in time as the Inquisitor sent them flying towards him and Sabine, using the Force to stop them.

"Sabine run!" Kanan shouted. The two turned and run but not before Sabine aimed a blaster at one of the explosives and fired. The explosion nearly knocked them both off their feet but they were now on the move and hopefully the Inquisitor caught some of that blast. Though knowing their luck, Kanan doubted it.

"I told you this was a bad idea," remarked Sabine.

"You're as annoying as that other Inquisitor," grumbled Kanan. He glanced behind them to see the Pau'an rushing through the smoke left behind by the explosion. He didn't seem to have a scratch on him and he was starting to catch up.

Up ahead was a drop into a small chamber with a large fan designed to ventilate the air up and outside through grates. It was also completely blocking the tunnel but for the moment it was deactivated. "Sabine now!" Kanan yelled.

Sabine tapped a button on her wrist com. On the structure of the fan was her remaining bombs which all lite up and started counting down. Kanan used the Force to press down the activation button on the fan. The blades slowly began to spin, slow enough for Kanan and Sabine to duck through without any problem but too fast for the Inquisitor to just run through. Kanan glanced behind him the Pau'an activating his lightsaber and hurled it as the fan to cut open a path. Unfortunately, he had no way to see the bombs which detonated. The giant fan collapsed, its blades coming to a halt and blocking any way to get through.

"See. It wasn't a completely bad plan," Kanan smiled at Sabine.

"Faking him out with the bombs in the tunnels when the bombs we really wanted to blow up was the one on the fan. Complicated but I'll add it to your playbook," quipped Sabine.

The fact that Inquisitor didn't just cut his way through meant he was probably knocked off his feet from the blast. But Kanan wasn't naïve enough to believe he would stay down long. His suspicions proved correct as a red blade tore through the debris and slowly began to cut a hole through it.

"Alright we slowed him down now let's get out of here," Kanan said.

* * *

Ezra screamed as he was falling down into the dark abyss beneath him. Then as suddenly as his life was flashing before his eyes, he came to a halt in mid-air. He thought that maybe Six had dropped him and was pulling him back up as a way to force Zeb to surrender. Ezra was levitated up to the catwalk and realized it hadn't been the Inquisitor hunting them who saved him but the one they were helping. Sister was slumped on the ground but had a hand up, focusing on bringing the Padawan safely to the catwalk. Ezra dripped the metallic guard rails the second he was close enough and climbed over them with a big sigh of relief.

"Thanks," Ezra told Sister.

"Kid I could use your help," gulped Zeb as the Zygerrian Inquisitor leaped from the pipe and onto the catwalk.

"Growing a conscious sister?" Six mocked as he activated his lightsaber. Zeb activated the staff setting on his bo-rifle. Ezra knew he was a great warrior being a member of the Lasat Honor Guard but he wouldn't stand a chance against an Inquisitor. He fired a stun blast at the Zygerrian, knowing none of his shots would actually do much but hopefully they would force the Inquisitor to block them rather than attack Zeb. Six felt back into a defensive stance, blocking the incoming shots as Zeb rushed at him. He tried a ruthless series of attacks to overwhelm his opponent while he was still busy blocking Ezra's shots.

Six deflected and parried everything thrown at him from Zeb or Ezra. Growing irritated, the Zygerrian held up his hand and Ezra found himself flying backwards. Then he was suddenly slowing down and realized the Sister had used the Force to slow him down. Even with her injuries, she was actually proving to be pretty useful. Six unleashed a relentless volley strikes and parries that were overwhelming the Lasat.

"Zeb!" Ezra yelled, about to join the fight with his lightsaber but was suddenly grabbed by the leg.

Sister managed to reach up and stop him. "You want to help your friend then trust me. The second I tell you, you unleash the Force on him," she told him. Ezra was conflicted. He wanted to help Zeb but knew he couldn't do much. Ezra just hoped the Sister wasn't planning on using this plan of her's until after Six killed Zeb.

The Zygerrian knocked Zeb's legs out from under him and stepped on the Lasat's right arm, pinning Zeb's weapon to the ground. "I've heard about you. A former Lasat Honor Guard. You'll make an excellent trophy," Six smiled with murder in his eyes.

Ezra glanced at Sister whose face was unreadable with her mask on. Six held up his lightsaber, ready for the killing blow. Zeb closed his eyes for the end.

"Now!" shouted Sister. Ezra and his Inquisitor ally then both unleashed a wave of Force telekinesis together. The Zygerrian was knocked right off his feet and over the safety railing, screaming as he dropped into the dark abyss below.

Zeb opened his eyes and was a little confused. "Ah what just happened?" he asked.

"We just saved your life," Ezra said proudly and with his chin held high.

"Six uses Juyo, the most aggressive lightsaber form. It's an excellent offensive style but it lacks defense, specifically in protection against Force based attacks. He always preferred to focus too much on enjoying his kills which left him vulnerable to the Force," Sister explained.

"And how do you know all this?" asked Zeb who got to his feet and put away his bo-rifle.

"I helped train him," answered Sister. Zeb's eyes widened along with Ezra but the two just shrugged it off. It wasn't like this knowledge was damning but rather important.

"C'mon we need to rendezvous with Kanan," Ezra urged them as Zeb picked Sister back up.

* * *

Six groaned as he slammed into the concrete wall. The pain was annoying but it was better than the alternative. He had been knocked off the catwalk by that traitor and that little Jedi brat. Six didn't consider them a threat at the moment and ended up paying the price. Fortunately, he had brought his grappling hook for this hunt and used it to attach a cable to the wall and stopped what would have been a fall to his death. But he was still alive, albeit incredibly angry. He activated his lightsaber and began cutting holes into the wall, using them to climb up. It was going to take a while to catch up to them but he would have his quarry.


	6. Chapter 6

Kanan was growing more nervous by the second. He hadn't seen any sign of Ezra, Zeb, or Sister in nearly half an hour and it was making nervous. It was easy to get lost down here with looking at the sequence numbers they put on the walls. They let you know which direction you are going and what mile marker you've reached. You could be down here for days if you didn't know what you were looking for. They were supposed to meet up near the markers near the Industrial Center of the city. It was probably heavily guarded but every manhole around the edge of the city would probably have guns ready to shoot anything that tries to escape. Better to escape above ground in an area they don't suspect and steal a vehicle to get out of the city.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" asked Sabine, growing just as anxious as Kanan.

"Yes it is," Ezra called out, his voice echoing through the tunnels.

"Ezra where are you?" called out Kanan.

"Could you shout any louder? I'm pretty sure the entire city heard you," grumbled Sister as Ezra rounded a corner followed by Zeb carrying the injured Inquisitor. Kanan had to admit he was happy to see all of them, even the Inquisitor.

"You three okay?" asked Kanan.

"Yeah. Even managed to take out an Inquisitor," Ezra said proudly.

"That Pau'an caught up to you? But me and Kanan managed to draw him away," stated Sabine.

"Wasn't him. It was a nasty Zygerrian who seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with heads," replied Zeb.

"Another one?" Kanan said. This day just keeps getting worse and worse.

"Don't worry. Me and Second Sister here managed to get rid of him," Ezra said.

Sister sighed, "Don't be so certain."

"We threw him down that pit. No way he's still alive," protested Ezra.

"You'd be amazed what an Inquisitor can survive. The only way to confirm one of my former comrades is truly dead is to severe their heads. Otherwise always assume they're still hunting you," Sister remarked.

"Just once could you say something cheerful?" grumbled Zeb.

"Alright Ezra you're the one who knows these tunnels. Where do we go next?" asked Kanan.

"Up," answered Ezra.

* * *

The group couldn't risk going through a manhole since they didn't know which ones were guarded. Fortunately Ezra knew a couple of air shafts that were smaller but led up to the surface. More importantly they probably wouldn't be guarded. Ezra went first after choosing a narrow shaft to climb up. There weren't any handle bars to use so you had to make do with what you could grip. Ezra just felt sorry for Zeb who was going to need to climb up with Sister on his back.

He climbed up to the top and used his lightsaber to cut through the metal vent guard. He used the Force to slowly and quietly move a cut portion of the metallic bars off to the side and poked his head out. The vent came out to a sidewalk on an empty street. Most of the inhabitants were probably indoors waiting for martial law to end and the local garrison of Stormtroopers couldn't cover every street in the city. Looks like things were actually starting to look up. Ezra motioned for the others to follow and then climbed out, taking cover around a nearby building to watch for anyone coming while everyone else followed him. Sabine was next then Zeb with Sister on his back followed by Kanan.

"Alright, we're in the industrial area. Now what?" asked Zeb.

"Well stealing a speeder is out of the question. The gunships and Tie Fighters would blast us before we could even make it outside of the city," said Sabine.

"Unless we take a gunship," stated Kanan.

"Easier said than done," replied Sister.

"We could lure one down," suggested Ezra.

"And how exactly do we do that?" inquired Zeb.

"The only way a gunship pilot will descend during a manhunt is to deploy troops, refuel, retrieve injured personal, or to take a prisoner into custody," Sister said.

"Well the first two are out of the question," Sabine said.

"The pilots might ignore an injured trooper but they won't risk losing their careers for not transporting a valuable prisoner," said Kanan.

"Then who plays the bait?" asked Ezra.

"If you think I'm going to let you use me as…" Sister warned.

"Relax. I have somebody better in mind," smiled Kanan.

* * *

"Why do I have to be the one who gets captured?" grumbled Ezra as he was led along by Kanan who was dressed as a Stormtrooper. They stole the uniform from a trooper that had lured away from his unit and hid the body. Zeb, Sabine, and Sister were in a nearby alley, waiting to see if the others succeeded.

"Because if this goes south, at least you can run unlike our Inquisitor friend. Besides the Imperials have a kill order for her. They're not supposed to capture her alive," remarked Kanan. Ezra groaned, his hands shackled behind his back. The shackles were loose and wouldn't hold him if he put some effort to break free but no one else would know that except unless they took a close inspection.

"This is never going to work," Ezra could hear Sister muttering loud enough to be heard from the alley.

"Shut up!" Zeb and Sabine both snapped at her.

Ezra and Kanan came to a halt in the middle of an intersection which was thankfully empty at the moment. The entire Lothal garrison was swarming the streets but the entire city was too much ground even for them to handle. Now they only had to wait for a gunship to patrol overhead. It's possible another patrol or an armored transport could arrive before that but Kanan said they'd deal with that if it comes.

Their gambit paid off as the first sign of Imperial activity was a gunship passing over the intersection. Kanan waved at it and then tapped the side of his helmet, signaling a broken com unit. The gunship came to a halt and slowly descended towards the surface. When it land on the intersection, the side blast door opened as three Stormtroopers filed out. One of them had a white paldron on his shoulder, indicating he was a sergeant.

"What's going on here?" demanded the sergeant. Kanan couldn't believe it but he recognized that voice. It was the same sergeant back in the spaceport.

"I managed to apprehend one of the rebels sir," Kanan replied. The sergeant glanced at Ezra who kept a defiant look.

"What happened to the rest of your unit?" the sergeant inquired. Kanan didn't like how suspicious he was acting.

"I got separated from them and stumbled onto him," answered Kanan.

"And why didn't you report in?"

"My com was damaged when the rebel resisted," Kanan said. The two regular troopers with the sergeant both started chuckling. It probably would be a little embarrassing to admit you had trouble subduing a kid.

"What's your name soldier?" asked the sergeant.

"Private Organa sir," Kanan said, picking the name he already used once on this guy in case he recognized the Jedi's voice.

"Funny. I checked the barrack's census after the spaceport and your name wasn't on it," the sergeant said. Instantly he and the two troopers raised their weapons.

"There must be a mistake sir. I just arrived yesterday. Maybe the system wasn't updated," Kanan protested.

"Hands up!" demanded the sergeant. Kanan raised his hands and made a whirling motion with his left trigger finger. Sabine and Zeb got his message because instantly a blaster bolt whizzed by his head and impacted one trooper's helmet dropping him followed by another energy bolt hit a second trooper in the chest. The sergeant gasped, caught off guard by the sudden attack. That allowed Kanan to rush forward and grab him by the arms, knocking the blaster out of his hands and slamming the sergeant's chin into his knee. The blow knocked the Stormtrooper to the ground unconscious.

"The ship!" shouted Ezra as the blast door for the gunship began to close. Kanan rushed towards it then suddenly found himself thrusted forward by some unseen force right through the air. Before the blast door could finish closing, the Jedi came crashing inside. The two pilots at the front seats were caught completely by surprise, allowing Kanan to recover quick enough to draw his blaster and shoot them both.

Kanan groaned as he got to his feet and headed towards the blast door, hitting a button on a nearby panel to open the gunship. Ezra and Sabine were waiting outside with Zeb catching up to them carrying Sister. Kanan glared at the approaching injured Inquisitor and said, "Did you throw me into the ship?"

"It worked didn't it?" shrugged Sister.

"She has a point," Ezra chimed.

"Next time give me a little warning. That hurt by the way," grumbled Kanan.

"You're welcome," snorted Sister. Everyone quickly got inside the gunship and closed it up. Kanan took up the driver's seat while Sabine handled the weapons console. Zeb set Sister into a seat and buckled her in then sat next to her. Ezra was enjoying himself examining the various equipment and looking for any possible souvenirs.

"Alright let's get out of here," said Kanan as he activated the engines and slowly ascended the craft into the sky.

* * *

Six cut his way through a manhole and sent a burst of telekinetic energy to break his way to the surface. The Zygerrian was livid after his failure to kill Second Sister and her two companions. The Padawan and the Lasat were no threat to Six. He could have easily killed the two of them and Sister was heavily injured. The three of them should have been easy kills and yet Six was somehow bested. He was going to make them all suffer for that.

"Agent Kallus. Have you found the fugitives?" Six spoke into his comlink.

" _We are still in the process of locating them,"_ Kallus replied. Useless commissioned officers. Six could barely tolerate working with most Imperial officers. If it wasn't their racism that annoyed him, it was how ineffective they were when dealing with unorthodox tactics. Do something they don't expect and they act like a pair of brain dead gizka.

" _This is the Grand Inquisitor to all Imperial forces. The rebels have exited the sewers and are back on the streets. They are currently in the Industrial District,"_ reported the Grand Inquisitor.

Six rushed over the nearest speeder he could find which had someone about get out of it. The Zygerrian force pushed the owner off it as he jumped inside and activated the engines. They wouldn't escape him this time.

* * *

"Alright nobody's following us. I think we're clear," Kanan said as he piloted the gunship near the border of the city.

Ezra, now seated opposite of Second Sister, said, "See I told you this plan would work."

"You know I used to think you the four of you were just a bunch of lucky hooligans being chased by the local Imperial regiment comprised mostly of buffoons," commented Sister.

"And now?" asked Ezra.

"Believe me luck still has a lot to do with why you are all still alive but I think skill has some part in it as well," admitted Sister.

"Kanan always said there's no such thing as luck. There's only the Force," Ezra smirked.

"Don't let that go to your head kid. The real reason you are all still alive is because the Empire considers you all a nuisance at best. If they really considered you a threat, you'd be dealing with people far worse than the Inquisitors or the local governor," Sister muttered.

"What kind of people?" asked Ezra.

Sister didn't get a chance to answer. "Heads up! We've got company," Sabine yelled from the cockpit.

"What is it?" asked Zeb.

"Multiple gunships on approach," answered Kanan.

"What did you do?" demanded Sister.

"Nothing. It's probably just a patrol," Kanan replied.

"Have they contacted you?" asked Zeb.

"No," answered Kanan. Everyone in the hold waited silently, holding their breaths.

* * *

Six glanced around the area, hovering above the Industrial District in his stolen speeder. He tried to reach and feel Sister through the Force but there were too many individuals to distinguish her. He would not let her get away again. Lord Vader could only tolerate this chase for so long. He punished absolute failure with death but failing to achieving an assignment on time wasn't. Still Vader's patience would go thin and he would assign a new Inquisitor to handle the hunt while Six would be sent back to Coruscant so that Lord Vader could show him the error of his ways. The Zygerrian shivered at the thought as did any Inquisitor of being punished by their master. He needed to find his prey and quickly.

A gunship caught Six's eye. It was heading directly out of the city despite the fact that the search grid was the Industrial District. If they were checking the outer area that was one thing but the ship kept moving further and further from the city. Then it dawned on him that his prey was far more resourceful then he gave them credit for.

"Agent Kallus. Have any gunships been ordered away from the Industrial District?" Six spoke into his com.

" _Negative,"_ replied the ISB agent. That confirmed the Inquisitor's suspicions.

"The intruders have stolen an Imperial gunship and are attempting to escape the city. Have a squadron of Tie Fighters follow my signal. I'm going after them," ordered Six. He turned his speeder and took off after the gunship at full speed.

* * *

"You can all breath again. They're not following us," Kanan reported. Everyone felt relief as things seemed to finally be working out for them. Sister was already thinking ahead on what her next move would be. What information would she give up and what would she keep to herself? How much should she give them and perhaps entice the rebels with more in case she needs something else from them?

"Well this had to be our most insane mission yet," commented Sabine.

"And yet we're still all in one piece," Ezra said proudly.

"Speak for yourself," Sister grumbled, her injuries still haven't been properly treated. The crew did what they could for her but she needed medical attention that couldn't just be patched up with a kolto pack. She'd get the treatments she needed once they escaped the Imperial dragnet.

"I still haven't heard a thank you from you yet," Zeb accused her.

"The Enigma device and what information I have will be your thanks," Sister replied.

"Hold on we've got incoming. It's a speeder. Heading right towards on a collision course," Kanan spoke up.

"It's him," Sister whispered.

"What was that?" asked Ezra.

"Shoot him down! Now!" shouted Sister.

"It's coming in too fast!" Sabine snapped.

A second later the whole ship shook from the impact. Everyone was tossed around in their seats but their restraints held them in place. Klaxons went off along with flashing red lights.

"Our right thruster's been damaged. I can barely keep her in the air," said a concerned Kanan. He pulled out his com and said, "Spector 2 we're going to need a pick up."

" _I thought we didn't want that Inquisitor onboard the ship just yet,"_ Hera replied.

"Change of plans. Our getaway vehicle is barely staying afloat. Follow our signal and get here as quick as you can. We've got a lot of incoming gunships and Ties," stated Kanan before ending the transmission.

"That's the least of our problems," said Sister.

"And what would that be?" demanded Zeb. He got his answer as a crimson energy blade cut through the ceiling.

"Kanan we've got company!" Ezra shouted.

Kanan turned and saw the lightsaber blade slicing a hole. "Take the wheel!" he shouted to Sabine.

A circular metallic plate dropped to the floor with the Zygerrian Inquisitor Six soon after. Sister thrusted out her hand and summoned her lightsaber that was clipped on Ezra's belt. Though Sister had no illusions that she wouldn't stand a chance in her current state. She hadn't even unbuckled herself as she would just fall on the floor.

"You don't give up do ya?" asked Ezra who drew his lightsaber and readied his energy blade. Sister had to give him credit, the kid had guts.

"Never," smiled Six, amused at the sight of a kid challenging him.

Zeb used the distraction to pull out his bo-rifle to try and shoot the Inquisitor but the Zygerrian shot his hand up and the Lasat rebel was thrusted up into the air and slammed his head right into the ceiling. He dropped to the floor unconscious.

Ezra charged at him but Six easily blocked his attack and backhanded him across the face, knocking the boy down. Kanan jumped into the fray, activating his own lightsaber and lunging towards their attacker. Finally the Zygerrian found himself up against an opponent he couldn't simply swat aside. Kanan fought well but his technique was unrefined. He fought with Form 3 Soresu, an excellent defensive style but poor on offense and it clearly showed on the rebel Jedi. While Six was having trouble trying to break through Kanan's defense, he was easily parrying Kanan's counter attacks.

Sister had to intervene or this fight would end badly for the Jedi. She activated her lightsaber and hurled it towards the Zygerrian. The twins blades spun through the air as Sister tried her best to control its path with the Force. But Kanan and Six were fighting so closely that she nearly took off both their heads before they ducked. It passed overhead of them and came to a halt lodged in the wall.

"Watch it!" Kanan shouted at her.

Sister was having trouble pulling her lightsaber back but that wasn't her only weapon. She noticed several loose blasters but Six was a master at blaster deflection. The only thing shooting him would accomplish would be getting your own blaster fire reflected back into your face. Instead of reaching for an obvious weapon, Sister threw her hands out and summoned multiple loose items into the air that had been knocked loose by the speeder collision. Six had Kanan on the defensive. The Jedi was constantly on the move but he was being worn down. He couldn't last much longer. The second Six's back was turned on her, Sister unleashed her barrage of debris at him. Containers, tools, and whatever was loose enough bombarded the Zygerrian.

It was more of a distraction than anything else but it allowed Kanan to start to get the upper hand. Then in a move that caught Six and Sister both by surprise, Kanan managed to kicked the hilt on Six's lightsaber. The blow injured the Zygerrian's fingers enough for him to drop his weapon. Kanan kicked the lightsaber on the ground away and was about to make the killing strike when Six thrusted his injured hands out and sent the Jedi flying across the interior of the ship with telekinetic blast. Kanan hit the back of his head hard on a wall and slumped to the floor motionless.

Six then turned his attention back to Sister and held out both hands, concentrating. Sister gasped as she felt her throat begin to constrict. She tried to resist it but she was already exhausted from her injuries and using the Force aide Kanan just seconds before. Before Sister passed out, she heard a loud roar. Zeb had regained consciousness and charged at the enemy Inquisitor. He tackled Six right off his feet and slammed him into ship's blast door. The Lasat hit the open button and a rush of wind blew inside, nearly knocking him off his feet. Zeb grabbed the Zygerrian and tried to throw his out.

Six regained his senses quickly enough to wrap his arms around one of Zeb's hands and then wrapped his legs around the Lasat's neck in a triangle choke. Zeb tried his best to pull the Inquisitor off him but he was quickly running out of air and strength. Sister focused on nearby crate and used the last ounce of strength she had of using the Force to launch right into Six's head. The impact knocked him senseless and allowed Zeb to pull himself free. The Lasat dropped to the floor gasping for air.

Six was the first to recover before anyone else, slowly getting to his feet. Then he was suddenly blasted by an energy pulse that knocked him to his knees. "No one hurts my friends. Stay dead this time," Ezra said, clenching his lightsaber-blaster hybrid. He fired again, this time the shot knocked Six off his feet and sent him flying through the open door.

The young Padawan rushed over the door controls and shut the blast door. "It's not decapitation but close enough," Ezra said, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Sister had to give him credit. Actually she had to give them all credit. They just survived a fight to the death with one of the deadliest hunters in the Inquisitorious and came out on top. She was starting to think that luck had little to do with how long they've managed to survive. One by one Zeb and Kanan got to their feet, injured but alive.

"Everyone okay?" asked Kanan.

"I need a vacation," grumbled Zeb. He checked himself for injuries and pulled out a broken piece of machinery from his belt. "Ah Karabas!"

"What is it?" asked Ezra.

"It's the Enigma Decrypter," groaned Zeb. Or rather what was left of it.

"You broke it!" snapped Kanan.

"I didn't break it. Must have gotten damage during my fight with that Zygerrian lunatic," protested Zeb.

"Now who's the dead weight?" quipped Sister.

"Shut up!" Zeb shouted.

"We've got incoming!" Sabine yelled. A second later, the whole gunship rocked.

"How bad is it?" Kanan yelled up to her.

"We've seven Ties bearing down on us. There's no way we'll be able to outrun them," Sabine replied.

"Then we fight back," Kanan said. He rushed up to the weapons console and took control of the gunship's turrets. Sister didn't know how well his aim was but the ship was still rocking from blaster impact so she wasn't going to delude herself into thinking he can take them all out before they were blasted out of the sky.

"The left thruster's taking damage. I can't keep her in the air much longer," Sabine said.

"Don't tell me after all we've been through today, we're going to die just as we make our escape?" groaned Ezra.

" _You people sure know to make friends,"_ a female voice spoke through the com. Every one of the rebels' eyes lite up with hope.

"Who is that?" demanded Sister.

"That would be our guardian angel," replied Kanan.

" _Okay I've got them falling back for the moment but more are on the way. You need to jump ship now,"_ said the 'guardian angel'. Sister assumed this was the Hera she heard Kanan talk about earlier.

* * *

The Grand Inquisitor stood beside Agent Kallus inside the command gunship where the ISB agent coordinated the entire search of the city. He had heard that Sixth Brother had found the rebels and was in pursuit. But his signal had gone dark and now it was up to the pursuing Ties to stop them.

"This is Knight Leader reporting. A second vessel has engaged Mynock Squadron and is attempting to dock with the target. We believe they are attempting to escape via the other ship," reported the Tie Commander.

"All units target that ship. It's their only way to escape," ordered Kallus.

"Engaging...Target the engines…Watch your fire!...Knight Seven pull up! AAAAAAAAH!...Knight Seven is down…This is Knight Three, I'm losing my stabilizers…They've detached from the gunship. They're making a run for it!" the sporadic com chatter summed up perfectly the Imperial pilots failure.

"Do not let them escape!" Kallus shouted into the com.

"They're gone to warp. They're gone," reported Knight Leader. Kallus slammed his fists onto the command console in frustration. Lord Vader will not be pleased.


	7. Chapter 7

Ezra and Zeb helped Sister to one of the living rooms and set her down on the bottom bunk bed. They didn't actually have a medical room onboard so they had to make do with what they could. The former Inquisitor was exhausted and her head slumped down on the pillow the second she laid down. Since she was in no condition to remove her armor, Zeb and Ezra had to do it for her. Kanan and Hera arrived shortly after carrying medical supplies.

"Hello there. I'm Hera," she introduced herself.

"And I'm about to die on your ship. My apologies for the mess," Sister groaned. Ezra couldn't help but chuckle. She certainly had a wit about her.

"Don't be a baby. You're injuries aren't life threatening," Zeb muttered.

"So you're a doctor now Dead Weight?" Sister retorted. The Lasat glared at her, not enjoying the nickname she picked out for him.

"You're not going to die on my watch. But this is going to sting," Hera warned. Sister didn't say anything as they started applying Kolto to her wounds but that wasn't the worst part. She had a broken knee, probably from that fall through the sewers. And to think she had that for hours causing her immense pain. No wonder she was so angry. Ezra had to admit the girl was as tough as they come. Sister finally made a sound after Kanan snapped her leg bone back into place, letting loose a cry of pain. Around her, several loose items floated into the air and flew around.

"Whoa whoa just calm down," Ezra tried to assure her. Sister didn't seem like she was actually trying to hurt anyone or even trying to do it at all. The Force just simply responded to her pain or maybe it was just instinctual on Sister's part, trying to create havoc around her when severely injured to distract or harm her attacker.

Ezra was surprised when the former Inquisitor actually took a deep breath and focused as everything began to gently float back into place. Her control over her emotions and the Force was far beyond Ezra's. What was most surprising was that a dark side user did that. The Darkside fed upon strong emotions but at the moment Sister looked incredibly like Kanan with a calm and serene look on her face. After the objects landed back to their originals spots, Sister's head slumped to the side passing out.

"Alright let's finish up and let her get some rest," said Kanan.

While the others were focused on Sister, Ezra glanced over the Inquisitor's armor. He examined each individual piece looking for anything interesting then noticed a slot on the forearm bracer. Ezra ejected a small white device from it. "What do you think this is?" he asked.

Zeb swiped it out of Ezra's hands and examined it. "Doesn't look like a transmitter," he commented.

Hera and Kanan finished up bandaging Sister then the Twi'lek captain turned her attention to their find. After a quick examination she said, "It's a blood screener. It's designed to identify toxins and diseases in the bloodstream."

"Why would she be carrying this around?" wondered Ezra.

"Probably because it's the only thing she could carry around in her armor," remarked Kanan. He motioned for everyone to head outside.

"Will she be alright?" Ezra asked as he shot one last glance at Sister before exiting the room.

"We did what we could but she'll need a full bacta tank treatment and I know just the place," Hera answered.

"And where's that?" asked Zeb.

"Dantooine. There's a doctor there who's helped resistance fighters working for the Free Ryloth Movement and the planet has minimal Imperial oversight. It's the perfect planet to lay low for a while," explained Hera.

"For now Lothal's off limits for us. We stirred up the Lylek's nest extracting our new friend," stated Kanan.

Zeb tossed the blood screener back to Ezra who simply pocketed it. He'd give it back to Sister along with her lightsaber once they part ways.

* * *

"She's onboard your ship?" asked an incredulous Fulcrum. The figure had a cloak covering the face and a voice filter as well, making it impossible to tell if who he was or even if it was a he. It was probably for the best though. Fulcrum was in contact with other rebel cells and should he or she be compromised, a lot of good people could potentially be in danger including Hera's own crew.

Hera had just finished briefing Fulcrum of the situation and the Twi'lek Captain's contact was both intrigued but also very nervous. Fulcrum had every reason to be concerned. Having an Inquisitor onboard was dangerous, regardless of if she was injured or not.

"I tended to her wounds personally and believe me, she's too injured to be a threat. Also I had my astromech scan her for any kind of transmitter. She's clean," answered Hera.

"That doesn't mean she isn't a spy. You need to limit whatever contact you have with her and keep her isolated," urged Fulcrum.

"But you agree I should go forward with the deal," Hera said.

"It's a risk but could be worth it. Even the damaged encryption device could be of immense value. If you could drop the remains of the device at our usual exchange site, I could have a few trustworthy techs look over it. Hopefully they'll get something useful," Fulcrum explained.

"Done. I'll let you know how it goes," Hera agreed.

"Be careful my friend," Fulcrum warned. "This Inquisitor is of the Dark side and if she's giving you information then it's only to her own benefit. The second betraying and killing you is more convenient, she will turn on you."

The holographic image disappeared, leaving Hera to contemplate her contact's words. She had security in place by modifying the door to Sister's room so it only could be opened from the outside. They also removed all of the Inquisitor's armor just in case she had any hidden weapons. Sister was completely disarmed but that didn't mean she wasn't dangerous.

Kanan entered the cockpit and sat down in the co-pilot's chair. "So how'd it go?" he asked, knowing Hera had just spoken to Fulcrum.

"Fulcrum's concerned but interested in our little deal," Hera answered.

"Yeah well the sooner we get her off this ship the better," muttered Kanan.

"You'll get no argument from me. So what's bothering you?" asked Hera.

"Who says something's bothering me?" pondered Kanan.

"Your face is scrunched up trying but failing to scowl. That's your poker face when you worried about something," smiled Hera.

"I don't have a poker face," protested Kanan.

"Keep telling yourself that luv but all joking aside what's bothering?" Hera asked.

Kanan sighed, "It's Ezra. He's…a little too comfortable around our Inquisitor friend."

"Well he was level headed enough to help her and negotiate with her," Hera pointed out.

"You say level headed, I say reckless. He was too trusting of her," Kanan grumbled.

"Ezra's not stupid Kanan," Hera said.

"But he's not afraid of her either. I'm afraid of her," Kanan replied.

"Well she won't be our problem much longer. Once we get her treated and debriefed, she's gone," said Hera.

"That's the other problem," Kanan sighed.

"What's that?" asked Hera.

"She might be the only person in the galaxy who can help us with something more important than just information," Kanan answered.

* * *

Kallus stood at attention inside the Imperial Command Center hangar. Strange that this was the second time he was to greet an arrival here in the past cycle. The last time it was another Inquisitor, Sixth Brother, who had come to the planet to aid the Grand Inquisitor in the hunt for the traitor but now a far more important guest was coming. His arrival had come unexpected and had Minister Tua scrambling to make preparations for their honored guest. A full military honor guard had been assembled in the hangar bay along with the Grand Inquisitor and security heightened to level Red.

A Star Destroyer loomed overhead Lothal City as an Imperial shuttle descended through the sky along with two Tie Fighters as escort. The shuttle folded up its wings as it passed into the hanger and landed. Its mouth-like hatch opened before two Stormtroopers descended out of it followed by an older man in an Imperial uniform. His face was unmistakable along with the medals on his uniform. Those specific medals were worn by the only Grand Moff in the Empire. Considered to be the second or third most powerful man in the galaxy after the Emperor and perhaps Lord Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin had arrived on Lothal.

He descended into the hangar shadowed by six other Stormtroopers all dressed in black armor and wearing special skull shaped helmets. Kallus recognized the armor and felt a surge of anger in his chest. The Grand Moff had brought the Darkstar Unit with him.

"Ah Grand Moff Tarkin. I am honored by your visit to Lothal," Tua greeted him.

"My visit is hardly an honor Minister," Tarkin sighed. He was not pleased to be here and Kallus knew why. The Moff was here because so far the Rebel cell on Lothal has not been dealt with and he was beginning to lose patience. Now Tarkin was here to handle the matter personally.

"I admit I was surprised to hear you were coming," Tua said as Tarkin started to pass her by.

The Grand Moff turned and said, "And I too have been surprised by what's been happening on your little backwater world."

Tua laughed nervously. "If you are referring to the insurgents I…"

"In the absence of Governor Price, you have had a single and simple objective Minister. To protect the Empire's industrial interests here which are vital to our expansion throughout the Outer Rim. But instead of protecting those interests, you have allowed a cell of insurgents to flourish right under your nose. Am I correct?" accused Tarkin. His voice calm and yet it was incredibly terrifying at the same time.

Tua gulped, clearing her throat but said nothing. Then again what could she possibly say?

Tarkin turned his attention to Kallus. "And Agent Kallus have you just stood by while this rabble have attacked our men, destroyed our property, and disrupted our trade?" he inquired.

"I have exhausted every resource to capture them sir. This group has proven quite elusive," Kallus answered.

Tarkin wasn't satisfied by his answer but he moved onto the Grand Inquisitor. "And you Inquisitor. A member of your order has gone rogue and yet even with the aid of another one of your kind, not only did the traitor elude you but apparently is now being aided by these rebels. As if that wasn't bad enough, Intelligence believes she has stolen an Enigma decryption device. I don't need to tell you that if the rebels get their hands on such a device, it will be the worst breach of security since the founding of the Empire!"

"I will find her and I will make her pay for this," the Pau'an replied.

"You'll excuse me if I'm not impressed by such bold claims especially considering your recent string of failures," Tarkin remarked.

"They say their leader is a Jedi. Perhaps even two," Tua pointed out.

"A Jedi you say?" Tarkin replied. "Have you ever seen a Jedi Minister?"

"Uhh no," admitted Tua.

"Well I have. I served with many of them during the Clone Wars and do you know what happened to all of them?" Tarkin asked. It was a rhetorical question. Everyone knew what happened to the Jedi.

"Well there were rumors…" Tua started to say.

"They rose up against the Senate and the Republic and were destroyed for it. Every last one of them dead. They were not omniscient or immortal, they were flesh and blood. Whether these criminals have Jedi within their ranks is irrelevant. They will be hunted down and eliminated. And since your colleague's death Inquisitor has strained my faith in your order, I brought my own specialists to handle the matter," stated Tarkin. He motioned for the leader of the Darkstars to approach. The trooper stepped forward and removed his helmet, revealing his rugged face with several scars.

"This is Major Risar Velken of the Darkstar Unit. His team will now be your support in finding these rebels and capturing the traitor Inquisitor," ordered Tarkin.

"You want Second Sister alive?" frowned the Inquisitor.

"Lord Vader wishes to make an example of her," explained Tarkin. "As for the rest of you, finding these rebels is now your top priority. You are dismissed."

Everyone dispersed as the Inquisitor left with the Grand Moff and the Darkstars. Kallus headed out of the hangar when he was approached by the Minister.

"Agent Kallus a word?" Tua asked.

"Yes Minister," nodded Kallus.

"I was hoping you could explain to me who the Darkstars are. I've never heard of them," admitted. Tua.

"I'm not surprised. They're an elite unit of some of the best soldiers in the Empire. They've undergone Arc Trooper training and utilize the most advanced weapons and equipment in the entire Imperial military," explained Kallus.

"But I don't understand why I've haven't heard of them. Are they some kind of black ops?" asked Tua.

"More like wet works. They are sent in not just to handle dangerous missions but also ones that could turn your stomach. I witnessed the aftermath of several of their missions during the Invasion of Lasat. One time they were sent in to capture a top military official who was hiding in a small village. When they couldn't find their target, Major Velken ordered every Lasat rounded up and they executed them one by one starting with the children," Kallus said disgusted.

Tua's eyes widened in shock.

"After someone finally admitted the target's location, the Darkstars killed everyone else and burned the village as a warning to anyone for harboring enemies of the Empire. I understand making hard decisions is a part of our duty. But Velken and his lackeys enjoy violence Minister and they enjoy killing," continued Kallus.

* * *

 _Their dropship came to a halt on the surface. The blast doors opened and the pair stepped out into total darkness. The so called Shadow World certainly earned its name. Umbara had no orbiting star close enough to provide any light though the local flora and fauna provided enough illumination to be able to barely see ahead of you. They came to a halt in front of a young Jedi who was speaking with a Clone Troopers who had a blue pauldron on his shoulder, indicating he was a Captain._

" _Master Krell. My thanks for the air support," Master Skywalker addressed them._

" _Indeed General Skywalker," Krell replied. "The locals have proven to be more resourceful than we anticipated."_

" _But that's not the reason for your visit," Skywalker frowned._

" _No. The Council has ordered you back to Coruscant effective immediately," Krell said._

" _What? Why?" demanded a confused Skywalker._

" _I'm afraid a request was made by the Supreme Chancellor and the Council obliged. That is all they would tell me," Krell explained._

" _Well I can't just leave my men," protested Skywalker._

" _My Padawan and I will be taking over in the interim," Krell assured him._

" _Don't worry about a thing sir," the Clone Captain spoke up. "We'll have this city under Republic control by the time you're back."_

 _Skywalker introduced the Clone. "Master Krell this is Rex, my first in command. You won't find a finer or more loyal trooper anywhere," he said._

" _Good to hear that," commented Krell. He placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder and said, "I wish you well Skywalker."_

 _Anakin headed towards the dropship and gave one last look at his men before boarding. The ship ascended into the dark sky, eventually disappearing._

" _Your reputation precedes you General. It is an honor to be serving you," Rex spoke._

" _I find it very interesting Captain that you are able to recognize the value of honor. For a clone," Krell muttered. The Clone shot him a surprised look._

" _Stand at attention when I address you," Krell ordered. Rex did so though the irritated look didn't go away in his eyes. "Your flattery is dully noted but it will not be rewarded. There's a reason my command is so effective and it's because I do things by the book. And that include protocol,"_

 _Krell turned to his companion and announced, "This is my Padawan Varra Kayne. She is my first in command from now on."_

" _Have all platoons ready to move out immediately. That is all," Krell ordered._

 _The clones exchanged confused looks. Their new Jedi General was far different from the ones they were used to. The Padawan didn't say a word to any of the clones, simply following her Master as he walked off._

* * *

Sister's eyes opened as she finally had some respite. The kolto had dulled her pain, at least enough to get some sleep, and her body had been properly treated and bandaged. She couldn't move her leg but that was to be expected. The point was that she was out of the Empire's crosshairs for the moment and could at least relax. That was not the way of the Dark Side but Sister always felt that following the dark aspect of the Force meant you did as you pleased. For the moment, her more immediate problem was how she was going to handle these rebels. They kept up their end of the bargain but that didn't mean they could be trusted.

Sister took in her surroundings and wasn't surprised that they took her armor and equipment. Clearly they didn't trust her, not that she blamed them. Only a fool trusts someone they just met. Sister wasn't happy she was seemingly at their mercy now but didn't have much choice in the matter. She was in no physical condition to do anything about it. The only thing she could do was get some sleep but that only always brought nightmares of a past life.

Sister was startled when the door opened and Kanan stepped inside. He allowed the door to close behind him before speaking. "That was a close call back there," he remarked.

"Yeah. You're welcome," muttered Sister.

"Excuse me?" frowned Kanan. "If it weren't for us, you'd be dead right now."

"And I saved your hide while they were fighting Sixth Brother or should I say try to fight him," scoffed Sister.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Kanan.

"It means you know how to block attacks but I've seen trainees half your age fight better than you," Sister stated.

"I'm not going to lie. One on one combat was never my strong suit," admitted Kanan.

"Your problem is overreliance on Soresu. Form 3 offers great protection but unless you integrate another style with it, you'll never win a lightsaber fight. Especially against the Grand Inquisitor," explained Sister.

"Then maybe there's one more thing you can offer us," replied Kanan.

"And what would that be?" inquired Sister.

"When you're healed up, I want you to train me how to fight Inquisitors," said Kanan.

(Well now you've had a little glimpse into Sister's past and how she's going to help the rebels going forward. The Umbaran episodes were by far my favorite episodes from the Clone Wars so I had to include it into the story. Also the Darkstar Unit is basically a combination of Navy Seals and the Waffen SS. These are the guys you send in to do the most dangerous missions and the most reprehensible. I didn't want to just bring in a replacement for Sixth Brother who is dead if I didn't clear that up. So I came with these guys and they will not be the can't shoot the ground if they fell on it Stormtrooper. They are extremely dangerous.)


	8. Chapter 8

_The march towards the capital city was a grueling twelve hour trek through a dense bioluminescent jungle. The landings had to be a great distance from the city as it housed powerful anti-aircraft defenses that could have shot down even a Venator-class Star Destroyer. Master Krell hadn't allowed the men any respite marching through Umbara's hostile terrain. They weren't happy but the morale of the battalion was not an issue and time was. They needed to reinforce Master Kenobi's troops or the entire campaign to take the capital city would fail._

 _The army came to a halt a few miles from the city near the main road. Krell had assembled Varra and Captain Rex to discuss his attack strategy._

" _Sir we're ready to bring our forward platoons in for a surgical strike on the city's defenses," reported Rex._

" _There won't be any need Captain," replied Krell. "All platoons will execute a forward assault along the main route to the city."_

 _Varra and Rex stared at the Jedi Master in disbelief. The Umbarans would have heavily fortified troops and traps all along that path. To just rush in would be difficult to breach through and it would sustain heavy casualties._

" _But sir General Skywalker's plan was to surprise them with multiple attacks. If we come in from the main route, they're likely to engage us in full frontal assault," protested Rex._

" _Change of plans Captain. I'm in command now," Krell sternly reminded the clone._

" _Master allow me to take a few Arc Troopers and scout ahead. Give us a few hours and we can report back the enemy positions along the main road and any traps they might have set up," Varra suggested._

" _We don't have time for that," Krell shook his head. "General Kenobi is already engaging the enemy forces protecting the city. If we don't reinforce him, the entire invasion will be in jeopardy."_

" _With all due respect General we don't know what we're up against. I agree with the Commander. A small scout force could..." Rex tried to explain._

" _Are you questioning my order?" Krell snapped. "This battalion will take the main road straight to the capital. You will not stop and you will not turn back regardless of the resistance you meet. We will attack them with all of our troops, not some sneak attack with a few men. That is my order you will follow it explicitly. Do I make myself clear CT-7565?"_

" _Yes General," Rex sighed though there was a tone of anger in his voice._

" _Varra you will command the reserves and you will only engage when I give the command," Krell said._

" _Yes Master," Varra bowed her head._

" _Now assume your positions," Krell ordered._

 _An hour later, Varra was waiting along a ridge line waiting with hundreds of Clone Troopers for her Master's signal. They could hear a firefight in the jungle but they remained at their posts._

" _Commander shouldn't we be moving to assist Captain Rex?" A clone named Burns asked. He was getting antsy along with the rest of the troops. They didn't like the fact that their brothers were fighting and dying while they just sat on their butts doing nothing._

" _We move the second my master gives us the signal," Varra assured him._

" _And when is that?" another trooper named Que asked._

" _When he gives the signal," Varra answered though it wasn't what anyone wanted to hear. The Padawan couldn't blame them as she didn't like this either._

 _Her Master had always been more aggressive than the other Jedi Masters Varra had encountered but he had his reasons. His training was harsh but Varra quickly understood the benefits of it when during a sparring tournament among dozens of Padawans. She wiped the floor with her first several opponents and then eventually worn down or overpowered the later opponents. While the other Masters had practically coddled their students, Krell had shown his Padawan no leniency and the results spoke for themselves when Varra won the tournament. She was certain her Master had some strategy in all of this fighting, she just didn't understand yet._

 _Rex's platoon came rushing back through the forest, trying their best to fall back tactically but they were getting decimated by the Umbaran onslaught. Varra could make out Captain Rex as one of the survivors and he was soon met up with a furious Master Krell. The two shouted at one another though she couldn't tell what they were saying. Finally Krell said something and walked away before Rex rejoined his men to hold off the Umbarans._

" _Varra move your men up and engage the enemy," Krell's voice came through the com._

" _Let's go!" Varra shouted. The rest of her men all cheered as they rushed into battle._

* * *

Sister's eyes opened as she awakened from her slumber, exposing them to the medical liquid she was currently submerged in. A belt was wrapped around her chest which was hooked onto a crane that moved people in and out of the cylindrical tank she was floating inside of. A breathing mask providing her oxygen was strapped onto her face. Bacta tank treatments were never a pleasant experience but they did wonders to injuries and diseases. It was because of Bacta's healing properties, the Republic had garrisoned Thyferra during the Clone Wars. The planet's flora was essential in developing Bacta and because of its importance Thyferra was the most heavily guarded world apart from Coruscant. After the war, the Empire immediately occupied and set up a puppet regime.

Sister had spent the past week recovering on the planet Dantooine, a small agricultural world in the Outer Rim. The rebels knew a doctor willing to help and thankfully this was her final treatment. Now all Sister had to do was spill the Nysillin seeds on every little bit of information she had on the Empire to the Rebels and help a certain Jedi wannabe into actually standing a chance against the Grand Inquisitor. She could have simply bolted once she was full health and leave the Rebels with nothing but aiding them could make them a bigger nuisance to the Empire and it would focus more on them then a certain fugitive.

Sister's body was hauled slowly up and out of the tank. She shivered as the liquid was kept as a temperature warmer then the room. Nearby a Quarren Doctor named Szon was working the controls the Bacta tank. He was a rebel sympathizer whom Sister suspected had assisted numerous different insurgent groups though he wouldn't admit it. Not that it really mattered as all Sister cared about was that was healed.

The crane slowly lowered to her to the ground. Szon handed her a towel then unhooked her from the machinery. "Scans indicate your wounds have fully healed," he explained as Sister dried herself off.

"Then we're done here," remarked the former Inquisitor. She was about to head to the locker room and get changed back into her normal clothing when the doctor stepped into her path.

"There is however one problem I found on the deep scans," Szon said.

Sister raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?" she asked.

"Scans around your heart indicated a small void that couldn't be identified. It's not a tumor or anything cancerous otherwise it would have been picked up but I would prefer another set of tests to…" Szon explained.

"No," Sister said.

"But…"

"I said no!" snapped Sister. She got into the Quarren's face, making sure to he was intimidated before saying, "And you won't mention a word about this to my hosts. Am I clear?"

The Quarren sighed, knowing this wasn't an argument he could win so he simply nodded. Sister turned and headed to the locker room.

* * *

Kanan came crashing to the ground, trying to roll to absorb the impact. His opponent lunged at him swinging at her double-bladed energy weapon. He jumped out of the way then parried a strike at his shoulder. She was incredibly fast, often trying to attack the upper body then switching her attack to the lower half almost in the blink of an eye. Kanan was barely able to keep up with her, let alone have a chance to counterattack. Finally his attacker threw out on her hands and Kanan felt himself flying through the air, landing on his back. Before he could recover, she was already above him holding the energy blade. She struck down stabbing him in the chest. Pain shot through his body as the former Jedi groaned in pain.

"That hurt," Kanan grumbled.

"Consider it motivation to not let it happen again," Sister remarked, stepped away from him and deactivating her lightsaber which had been on its stun setting.

Kanan was glad this was just a practice spar and not a real fight otherwise Second Sister would have killed him. The two had been practicing for an hour and this was the first time the former Inquisitor really put some effort into it. She had acted slowly at first, getting a feel for Kanan's style and examining both his strengths and weaknesses. She would instruct him to grip his handle slightly different, bend his knees before certain strikes, use punches, kicks, and takedowns to defeat a lightsaber opponent. Her style was completely different Master Depa Billapa who was more defense based. Second Sister used Ataru which utilized Force-assisted acrobatics and quick strikes from multiple directions. Although she specialized in one style, she was clearly knowledgeable in other lightsaber forms specifically their strengths and weaknesses.

Sister had also mastered the art of utilizing Force based attacks into her fighting style. With simple gestures, she could summon objects to pelt Kanan's body. Sometimes they were simple distractions which were often all you needed to give yourself an edge in the fight. Other times she'd hurled massive nearby boulders, forcing Kanan on the defensive. One time she summoned up grains of sand into the air and threw them into Kanan's face. His temporary blindness ended up with him on the ground and getting a shock after another stab by Sister's training saber.

Nearby Ezra and Zeb watched the sparring, occasionally taking bets. Kanan was a little surprised to hear that Ezra had betted against him. Though the kid had a point that Kanan himself admitted that Sister was the one teaching him, not the other way around. They soon stopped their little betting pool because the Inquisitor won every single time. Kanan might get a few good strikes but not once did he ever feel that he was true threat to her. He could parry and block most if not all of her strikes but he could do nothing to counter attack or capitalize on Sister's mistakes.

"Stop focusing so much on my lightsaber," Sister ordered as she struck at him again then kicked him on the ribs.

Kanan staggered back but stayed on his feet. "Yeah well that's the thing that's going to kill me," he protested.

"No whoever's holding the lightsaber will kill you. Focus on the user not the weapon. Look at their technique and examine their every movement. Find their weak point, the spot that that is unintentionally exposed," Sister explained.

"We've been going at this for an hour and I haven't seen anything like that on you with you constantly spinning that thing around," Kanan sighed, referring to Sister's crescent-shaped lightsaber. She repeatedly used its spin function to either block Kanan's attacks or unleash a ruthless barrage of strikes back at him.

"Because you're not looking. You think my lightsaber is giving me an advantage? In your mind you are trying to keep track of both blades as if they are separate but the truth is they are connected. If you know where one is, you should automatically know where the second is. A dual-bladed lightsaber has advantages over a single lightsaber but also disadvantages. It requires sweeping movements to gain momentum and the user must be cautious not to accidently injure himself with his own weapon. And there is always one weak point with such a lightsaber," Sister lectured.

Kanan examined Sister as she spun around her weapon and realized the answer. "It's the hilt!" he said.

Sister nodded, "There are only a limited number of movements with dual blades and everyone potentially leaves the weapon's hilt exposed. However don't for a second think that you are now capable of beating me. Remember my lightsaber isn't even my greatest weapon."

With a thrust of her hand, Sister sent out a wave of telekinetic energy that knocked Kanan right off his feet. The former Jedi Padawan groaned as he got back to his feet, understanding the Inquisitor's harsh lesson.

"Now we'll run five miles and we'll try this again," Sister commanded as she tossed her lightsaber over to Ezra.

Kanan grumbled as he deactivated his weapon and chased after his instructor who had a head start. Second Sister insisted he start putting more effort into increasing his endurance and cardio. Such things were paramount in a lightsaber fight as you could only rely on the Force to give you strength for so long. She was certainly nothing like Master Billapa that's for sure. Still Kanan couldn't be picky. If anyone could teach him to fight Inquisitors it was Sister. He wasn't sure how much of these training sessions he'd have to endure but it would all be worth it if he can defeat the Grand Inquisitor.

* * *

Ezra was on his knees in his room, eyes closed as he tried to levitate a cup off the floor using nothing but the Force. With Kanan preoccupied with getting his own training from Second Sister, he gave his Padawan specific assignments to do on his own for the past few days. For the moment Ezra's priority was levitating multiple objects with the Force. Considering a few months ago just lifting up a single cup was hard enough, this was actually a difficult challenge. He using cups and plates for the exercise but it was a lot harder than it looked. Ironically sending out a Force Wave to knock down Agent Kallus as he was about to kill Zeb was somehow easier than this. Kanan and Sister could levitate Stormtroopers and even large boulders and yet they somehow made it look easy.

After repeated failures, Ezra finally gave up. Even if Kanan was here to give encouragement, it wouldn't make any difference. Ezra's thoughts returned to some of his Master's sparring lessons with Sister and how she was able to use telekinesis almost effortlessly. She was even more skilled in the ability then Kanan was. Perhaps she might have some insight but the Inquisitor was off limits for now.

As part of their deal, Second Sister wasn't allowed to be move about the Ghost unsupervised nor allowed to have her lightsaber except during practice spars. Kanan kept it under lock and key when they weren't and he had Chopper modify the Inquisitor's weapon to be locked onto its stun mode. Whenever she wasn't debriefing Hera on various bits of information or training Kanan, she was usually locked in the spare quarters that were designed not to open from the inside. It was a makeshift holding cell but surprisingly, Sister hadn't raised much of a fuss over it. For someone Kanan warned was of the dark side, she showed such calm for her present situation. Maybe she saw it as the best option for her or maybe she didn't have any other options.

Still even though Kanan and Hera didn't want Ezra to speak to her alone, he saw it more as a suggestion. After all if he didn't disregard their orders about leaving Second Sister to fend for herself, she wouldn't be here aiding the crew. So maybe a short conversation might offer some insight on how to improve his connection with the Force.

Ezra climbed up to the vent near the ceiling of his room and unlocked the cover. He'd use the airshaft to get into Sister's room without being seen. The vent in her room wouldn't be thoroughly secured as it was too small for her to fit through. Ezra however could just fit through to move around in it. He didn't enjoy traversing the small enclosed passages but he'd endure them. Ezra crawled his way to a vent cover overlooking the makeshift cell.

Second Sister was seated on the floor, legs crossed and hands stretched out with her eyes closed as if meditating. There wasn't anything else in the room aside from the bunk and that was intentional. Kanan and Hera were worried their new friend could potentially use anything to create a makeshift weapon but there was no denying that she was dangerous even without a lightsaber. Yet she remained calm and collected as if she was in complete control of this entire situation. Truthfully maybe Sister was.

"Are you just going to keep staring at me?" Sister asked, her eyes opened as she glanced up at the vent. It was somewhat unnerving how easily she seemed to be able to sense things without using her eyes.

"Uhh no…because that would just be creepy," Ezra chuckled.

"So ask your questions then," remarked Sister.

"Kanan wants me to lift things with the Force and I can do it on a single object but not multiple things at once," explained Ezra.

"Practice," said Sister.

"Tried that. Isn't working out well," replied Ezra.

"Practice harder," Sister said. Ezra groaned silently, this wasn't helping at all. "Is that irritation I sense?"

"Do you have invisible Gizka spies everywhere reporting to you?" Ezra muttered, getting a little annoyed at how aware the Inquisitor always seemed.

"If it's advice you want then try this. Focus on what makes you angry and what frustrates you. Imagine the worst things you've ever seen. Things that revolt you and infuriate you. Keep those images in your mind the next time you try to lift those objects," advised Sister.

"Kanan says I'm supposed to do it with a clear mind," Ezra stated.

"And if you always did whatever he says, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Sister pointed out. "Take my advice or don't," she added almost in a way that either option didn't really matter to her.

Ezra decided to change the topic. "Isn't it a little cramped in there?" he asked.

"It has more then what I need. This might seem like a cell to you but to me it might as well be a lounge," Sister spoke.

"A bunk bed in a holding cell is paradise to you?" frowned Ezra.

"Cell would imply I could not escape if I wished," Sister said with a smile that spoke volumes.

Ezra gulped, "Then why don't you?"

"What good would escape do for me? Everything that has happened is actually how I wanted to transpire. Hera will distribute the information I provide to other cells which will make them a greater nuisance to the Empire. She can deny it all she wants but she knows more insurgents then she's letting on. Also by helping Kanan become stronger, he becomes a more important target to the Grand Inquisitor and the rest of my former order. They'll focus more on him then coming after me," explained Sister.

"You've got everything figured out haven't you?" Ezra muttered. He was a little disappointed that was her only reason for helping them but why should he be surprised at all? It wasn't like they actually knew her and she was supposed to be a master of the dark side.

"I know you're wasting your time trying to become a Jedi. Kanan might have filled your head with stories of bravery and valor but the real Jedi were nothing but a bunch of egotistical monks speaking worthless platitudes. It was because of their inability to get anything done that led to the decadence of the Republic which led to the Clone Wars which led to the rise of the Empire. The Outer Rim may hate Palpatine but most of the Core Worlds love him. Why do you think they're so happy living under a tyrannical government? It's because Palpatine had given them the kind of safety that the Republic and the Jedi never could," Sister mocked.

"And how do you know so much about them?" grumbled Ezra, her words hitting a nerve.

"I was once like you. Young and head filled with dreams. I thought the Jedi were end all be all of the galaxy until I saw them for who they really were. They deserved to die and their order deserved to stay dead along with them," Sister hissed, showing anger for the first time in this entire conversation. There was definitely more to what she was saying. You don't get this angry at someone from just hearing about them.

"And what did they do to you?" Ezra asked.

"Showed me what they really were," Sister answered.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Ezra inquired. The Inquisitor didn't answer him, she simply closed her eyes and went back to meditating. Ezra took the hint and was about to crawl back to his room.

"By the way, since I've done you a favor with my advice perhaps you can do the same. There's a small device in my armor. I would like it back," Sister spoke up.

"You mean the blood scanner. Why would you want it?" asked Ezra.

"I want to make sure my cholesterol is down," Sister quipped. She was definitely hiding something but Chopper confirmed that the device didn't have a transmitter of any kind. It should safe enough to give back to her though. Sister's eyes closed again and Ezra crawled back to his room.


	9. Chapter 9

"And she also sketched an entire standard interior layout of an Imperial Star Destroyer," Hera added. It turned out Second Sister was a treasure trove of classified information. She knew of secret Imperial supply bases, Imperial Security Bureau sting operations, and other priceless bits of information. Sister might be a more important source of information then Zeebo was and he had terabytes of classified information on his cybernetics.

"Unbelievable," whispered Fulcrum. For once, he or she actually seemed to be speechless.

"Our Inquisitor has turned out to quite the viable investment," remarked Hera.

"More than you might think," Fulcrum stated. "Your suspicion about Senator Travis turned out to be justified. Every cell that has met with them has had a rash of accidents and disappearances occur to their members afterwards. It was never all at once and because the Imperial Security Bureau has devised more ingenious methods of tracking down dissidents, we never put the pieces together."

"He's bait designed to lure out insurgents and identify them. Travis leaves and the rebels are monitored to find more members or allies. Once the Imperials are certain they can't get any more information from surveillance, they dispose of their targets," Hera said.

"Word has spread across the HoloNet of Travis's true allegiance. No rebel cell will fall for his trap again," Fulcrum nodded.

"They'll just come up with another one," muttered Hera.

"One thing at a time. For now just finish debriefing your Inquisitor and then send her on her way. The longer she remains onboard, the greater risk she poses to you and your crew," Fulcrum warned.

"So far she's been surprisingly cooperative. It's almost unnerving," admitted Hera.

"That could change in an instant. Be careful," Fulcrum replied. The hologram faded as the communication cut out.

"Why does he always end his transmissions so dramatically?" asked Kanan as he stepped into the cockpit. "He's as bad as one of those holo-dramas that always end on cliffhangers every episode."

"He's just concerned," shrugged Hera.

"Well I'm starting to think our Inquisitor friend isn't interested in killing us. Otherwise why bother putting up with us for the past two weeks?" stated Kanan.

The cockpit opened as Ezra came rushing in. "Senator Trayvis is on the HoloNet. You've got to see this to believe this," he said.

The three of them headed into the commons area, specifically to the holochess board where Zeb and Sabine were watching a holographic picture of Senator Trayvis speaking with HoloNet News anchor Alton Kastle. HoloNet News was nothing more than Imperial propaganda and anytime Kastle's face was on a holoscreen, lies and distortions would follow the second he opened his mouth.

"And now that you've recommitted yourself to the Empire, will your followers do the same?" Kastle asked.

"Most will Alton," Trayvis replied. "These were good people who simply wanted to make the Empire a better place peacefully. But I'm afraid these…"

The picture changed to images of the five rebels. "…insurgents have twisted my message into something violent and frightening. Of course I can't abide that so I'm personally offering a reward for their capture."

The image returned to Trayvis who held up credit chips to emphasize his point. "Karabas. Turn it off," grumbled Zeb.

"I can't believe I used to look up to him," growled Ezra.

"Yeah well you can thank Sister for this. Had she not told us, there's no telling how many more rebels across the galaxy could have fallen into Trayvis's trap," Hera pointed out.

"Yeah but it feels like every time we win, we somehow lose," sighed Ezra.

"Well I have a plan that might just even the score," Kanan stated. "If Trayvis can do it then we can do it too."

"What? We're going to send out some kind of inspirational type messages?" Zeb asked, rolling his eyes.

"Exactly," smiled Kanan.

"Exactly," agreed Hera.

* * *

Major Risar Velken stood at attention alongside the Grand Inquisitor, Agent Kallus, and Minister Tua inside the Governor's office. The room belonged to Governor Price but Grand Moff Tarkin was using it in her absence. For the past few weeks, Tarkin had personally taken charge of all the day to day operations of Lothal, putting their production quotas back on schedule and putting down any copycats inspired by the rebel insurgents. But one thing alluded the Moff and that was the rebels themselves.

Velken and his Darkstars had been sent to several locations across the planet, killing and capturing numerous suspected dissidents. Truthfully such police actions were beneath his team but they needed to keep busy on Lothal until their real target emerged from hiding. The rebel cell had been quiet ever since their escape with the Inquisitor traitor. It was possible that Second Sister killed them and used their ship to escape to parts unknown but that was unlikely. The more logical explanation was the rebels were laying low until the Imperial dragnet loosened.

For the moment, the Grand Moff was dealing with other matters and this one he wanted everyone involved in the manhunt for the rebels to attend to. Two Imperial officers named Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko and Taskmaster Myles Grint. The two of them were commanding officers in the Lothal Imperial Academy and had been personally taking command during situations involving the rebels, probably hoping the capture or deaths of the insurgents would look good on their resumes. Instead they looked like fools and they knew it.

The two officers entered the office and introduced themselves. "Gentlemen sit," Tarkin encouraged, seated at the desk.

Myles and Aresko nervously sat down in the two chairs provided. "I understand the two of you have had dealings with the insurgents," Tarkin stated.

"Uhh yes sir," nodded Aresko. The Inquisitor slowing walked along the side of the desk and came to a halt behind Myles and Aresko.

"And your efforts have been less than successful?" Tarkin said, more of a statement then a question.

"Well…" stuttered Aresko. "…I wouldn't say."

"Commandant if your efforts had been successful, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Tarkin pointed out. "Now when was the last activity reported?"

"Sir ever since the insurgents escaped with the fugitive several weeks ago, there have no sightings of them," reported Myles.

"I see," Tarkin said, leaning back in his chair. "I've been going over your reports over every one of your encounters with the insurgents and I've been noticing a recurring trend."

"Trend sir?" asked Myles.

"Major Velken," Tarkin said, indicating for the Darkstar CO to speak.

"The two of you have made multiple infractions of Imperial regulations. Your patrols have been slack with many of your men diverting from their assigned posts for personal reasons and without requesting someone to take their place. Your security protocols surrounding military installations had multiple violations regarding the lack of probe droids and minimum required number of security officers. Your academy had churned out some of the worst officers I have ever seen this side of the Outer Rim," Velken spoke with contempt in his voice.

"That is slander Major!" protested Aresko who rose to his feet.

"Sit down," Tarkin ordered, his voice just on the edge of professional and contempt. Aresko gulped nervously and sat back down.

"What you have committed gentlemen is failure," Tarkin took over. "Failure to enforce Imperial law on this backwater world, failure to implement Imperial policy within your own ranks, and failure to capture this insurgent faction. Because of this, talk of these rebels is beginning to embolden the local populace and could threaten to undermine the Empire's authority over this world. Your repeated failures have turned this rabble from vagabonds into martyrs. Failure to the Empire is treason gentleman and the punishment for treason is…"

Tarkin nodded and the Inquisitor drew his lightsaber, severing both Aresko and Myles's heads. Tua and Kallus gasped, horrified by what they saw but not Velken. What he just witnessed was Imperial efficiency. Not tolerating bungling fools like the Old Republic, ruthlessness and ambition were rewarded within the Empire and that allowed people like Velken to advance to positions of power that they deserved.

"Make no mistake. From now failure will have consequences," Tarkin announced as he turned to Tua and Kallus, making sure they got the point.

A chime broke the solemn silence that followed the executions. Tarkin glared at the door, probably annoyed that someone was interrupting an important meeting. "Enter," he called out.

A man rushed in, dressing in an Imperial Security Bureau uniform. He gasped at the sight of the two headless corpses on the floor. "What do you have to report?" Tarkin demanded, irritated by the agent's stunned silence.

The agents quickly took a deep breath and composed himself. "Governor Tarkin. We've just received a report from one of our probe droids. Three individuals matching the descriptions of the rebels were spotted just outside the main communications tower," he reported.

"The com tower?" gasped Tua, starting to get over her own shock of witnessing Aresko and Myle's executions. "If they managed to destroy that, communications will be crippled across the entire planet."

"It's the perfect target for the rebels. I'll double the garrison with gunship patrols," said Kallus.

"And in doing so, the rebels will merely change their target to something else," remarked Velken.

"I agree," nodded Tarkin. "Let them believe they have the element of surprise. Lure them in and we shall be waiting."

* * *

The team went over last minutes details of the plan. Chopper would upload a data spike into a terminal inside of the Imperial Communications Tower on Lothal while Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb covered him. After Chopper the done, the team would get picked up by Hera via the Ghost. Normally they'd use the Phantom for quick pickups like this one but Hera was uneasy about leaving Second Sister all alone on the ship. Ezra knew that if she wanted to break out of her makeshift cell, she already would have by now. Though if the Ghost was deserted, the former Inquisitor might just reconsider her plan involving the rebels and take the ship for herself.

The plan wasn't without risks but everything seemed good. Security at the com tower wasn't heavy so get in and out shouldn't be a problem. And yet Ezra couldn't help but feel something wasn't right. He couldn't say why he felt that way, there wasn't a single reason why Ezra felt so strongly about this. It was more of a gut feeling than anything else. He tried to convince Kanan to back out but his Master was dead set on this. Ezra was afraid since his parents spoke out against the Empire with their secret broadcasts and know they were gone. The last thing he wanted was the same thing to happen to his new family.

Ezra needed another perspective on the matter and he also had a promise to keep. He entered his quarters and climbed up into the ventilation system. He crawled through the narrow metallic tunnels to Second Sister's room. The Inquisitor was seated in meditation almost in the exact position the last time Ezra spoke to her. You'd almost think she hadn't move since then.

"If we keep meeting like this people will talk," Sister quipped, sensing her guest. She glanced up at the vent where Ezra stared down at her.

"Brought you something," Ezra said as he pulled out the blood scanner from his pocket and dropped the device through the vent cover. Sister held up a hand and used the Force to slowly lower it onto her palm.

"Any luck with your exercises?" she asked.

"No. I'm still having trouble," Ezra answered honestly.

"Did you actually try using your emotions?" Sister inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I tried," grumbled Ezra.

"I don't believe you," smiled Sister.

"Believe whatever you want," Ezra fumed, losing his patience.

He was about to crawl away when Sister said, "I don't believe you because I couldn't do it at first. There's no off switch to remove all that Jedi training and lectures inside your head."

Ezra knew she was probably a Jedi or rather trained to become a Jedi but this practically confirmed it. "So you were a Jedi?" he asked.

"No and I never will be," Sister replied coldly. Cryptic as usual.

"What happened to you? What made you hate the Jedi so much?" Ezra inquired. Sister stared at the wall as if unpleasant memories were boiling to the surface.

* * *

 _The platoon was camp on a ridge overlooking a small valley that contained their objective. The Umbarans were using a nearby airbase to supply and reinforce the capital city. Taking it out of commission would cripple Umbaran resistance within the capital but that would be no easy feat judging from what Varra could see with her binoculars._

" _There's a base there alright and it's heavily guarded. At least three tank divisions plus guns," Captain Rex observed._

" _Heavy artillery along with probably an entire squadron of fighters and bombers in the hangars," Varra added._

" _Taking that won't be easy," commented Sergeant Appo._

" _We'll advance along the central gorge and engage their forces in a full frontal assault," Master Krell stated. His subordinates, including Varra, stared at him in disbelief. That route was probably the most heavily guarded route to the airbase. They'd be attacking the Umbarans right where they expect to be._

" _The gorge is narrow sir," protested Rex. "We'll only be able to move our platoons in single squads."_

" _Master we can send a few recon teams along the edge of the gorge. Maybe they can find alternate routes…" Varra suggested._

" _Obi-Wan and the other battalions are holding off the enemy right now while they wait for us take out this base. We don't have time to look for a more secure route," Krell said, shaking his head._

" _Yes Master," Varra sighed. Rex and Appo weren't happy but didn't protest the decision._

* * *

 _Varra and Krell remained on the ridge while Captain Rex led a battalion through the narrow gorge. As expected, the clones ran into an ambush of Umbaran troops and tanks. The instant the battle started, Varra wanted to send reinforcements but Krell refused. His reasons were that he wanted to draw out all of the Umbarans tanks and armor from the safety of their airbase. An airstrike would then be able to decimate every last one of them. The problem was Krell's request for air support was taking too long and the clones were being slaughtered._

 _Yet somehow through sheer will, bravery, and adaptation the battalion managed to fight their way through and take the airbase. Varra complimented troopers Hardcase and Fives for their ingenuity for hijackings several Umbaran fighters from the base and destroying every last Umbaran tank and artillery in the area. Krell used the airbase's communications tower as his base of operations while the 501_ _st_ _got some much needed rest from battle._

 _But things were far from improving for the invasion. Master Kenobi managed to get a transmission through enemy jamming to report that the attack on the capital was failing due to repeated missile attacks that were being supplied via a ship in orbit. With an entire Separatist fleet guarding it, all attempts to destroy it have failed. They lost Kenobi's message soon after._

" _Have those containers searched and weapons prepped and loaded," Krell ordered to nearby troops as he, Varra, and Rex exited the tower._

 _Master Krell turned to Rex and ordered, "Have the battalions ready to move out in twelve hours. We're advancing on the capital."_

 _Rex and Varra shared an incredulous look. Krell's strategies had been reckless but he did manage to obtain quick results, something desperately needed if the invasion was to be a success. But this could be the most reckless decision yet._

" _Master, with all due respect without air cover to shield us from missile attacks or cutting off the Umbaran's missile supplies, we won't survive long enough to get close to the city," protested Varra._

" _Sir perhaps I should try and get a message to General Kenobi? Shouldn't we coordinate our attack especially in light of the recent threat?" suggested Rex._

" _And contact Admiral Yularen and request air cover," agreed Varra._

" _General Kenobi and Admiral Yularen have their hands full and the enemy is jamming our transmissions. Reestablishing contact will take too long. We need to throw everything we have at them now!" said Krell._

" _We'd be marching into a blast zone sir," protested Rex._

" _More like kill zone," muttered Varra. The ground shook at the darkened horizon lite up from Umbaran missile attacks as if to emphasize both her and the Captain's point._

" _Blasted insurgents," Krell grumbled at sight. "I realize you both haven't agreed with all of my strategies Captain but you are smart enough and loyal enough to obey my orders."_

" _What if we use one of the Umbaran vehicles as a courier between us and General Kenobi? It might take a little time but…" Varra argued._

" _Enough Varra!" snapped Krell. His padawan was stunned into silence. Krell had never been a kind-hearted master though Varra respected the Besalisk for not coddling her and pushing her to her limits during training. It made her far-more prepared for battle than most other Padawans when the Clone Wars broke out but he's never acted this harsh before._

" _Captain get your troops prepared," Krell ordered. The clone captain wasn't happy but he saluted and walked off._

 _Krell now turned his eyes to his padawan, "Don't ever question my orders in front of the clones again," he said with an angry tone._

" _I…yes master," Varra stuttered._

* * *

"Doesn't matter what happened," replied Sister, staring up at Ezra who was peeking through the vent cover. He wasn't surprised she didn't give him a straight answer. The Inquisitor never seemed to ever give one.

"What are you going to do once we go our separate ways? You just going to keep running?" asked Ezra.

"That's my business," answered Sister.

"You know the Empire is just going to keep on hunting you," pointed out Ezra.

"Is there a point to this conversation?" sighed an annoyed Sister.

"Yeah. Have you considered maybe fighting back?" Ezra inquired.

Sister threw him a look and seemed to understand what he was saying. "You want me to join your little band?" she scoffed.

"I'm not saying we become bunk mates. I'm just saying you'll need all the friends you can get and we've got plenty of friends but not many willing to fight back against the Empire," replied Ezra.

"Let's get something straight. I'm not sitting on your ship because I like it here. Your crew is a matter of convenience at best. You and Kanan are nothing more than an investment to draw the Empire's eye off me for a while. I don't care about freeing the galaxy from tyranny, liberating the slaves in Hutt space, or feeding the hungry orphans of Lothal. I only care about making sure I survive another day and that won't happen joining a bunch of idealists with delusions of grandeur. The only thing you people are going to accomplish is either getting yourselves killed or wasting away inside an Imperial prison. If that's what you want then so be it but I'm not jumping into the proverbial Sarlacc Pit with you. Do I make myself clear?" snapped Sister.

"Crystal," grunted Ezra. He wasn't trying to start an argument here but the former Inquisitor wasn't exactly a people person. Maybe being cooped up in this room for so long was starting to get on her nerves.

Ezra started crawling away just as he noticed Sister rolling up her sleeve. He was moving through the shaft when he could hear the Inquisitor cursing. Ezra considered crawling back and asking her what was going on but he just knew deep down she wouldn't tell him the truth. Second Sister guarded herself and her feelings very tightly. Being a part of some crazy Force assassin cult probably had a lot to do with it but Ezra suspected there was more to her then just some bloody thirty killer. When they were treating her injuries after getting her onboard the Ghost, he saw Sister use the Force the same way Kanan did. After screaming in pain, she took a deep breath and calmed herself. That was not something Ezra ever saw the Grand Inquisitor or his goon Sixth Brother do. Sister used the dark side but also the light. There was far more to her then what she appeared to be.

* * *

The attack on the tower started off perfectly. Sabine approached the area on a speeder carrying a fuel canister. Once she was in visual range of the guards, they knew she didn't belong there and opened fire. The Mandalorian aimed her vehicle at one of the Imperial's turbolaser cannons and jumped off. The speeder rammed into the cannon and exploded, destroying both. Sabine then pulled out her blasters and fired back at the Stormtroopers, distracting them long enough for Zeb to sneak up to the other turbolaser cannon and take control of it. With a few shots, the Lasat managed to quickly eliminate the rest of the Imperials to secure the area.

Kanan and Ezra arrived soon after on their own speeders along with Chopper. Sabine entered the communications tower and blasted the two troopers stationed inside. They had already raised the alarm but that was expected. If all went well, they'd be long gone before reinforcements arrived.

"Okay Sabine three minutes," Kanan said as he entered the room and shut off the alarm. This team was lucky Sabine and Chopper were as good as they were because hacking into this system in three minutes was asking a lot.

"Chopper install the spike," Sabine ordered the droid. The astromech plugged in a data cylinder into a computer port which began uploading the program that would allow them to take control of the tower for a limited time.

"What? They're here? That's impossible," gasped a stunned Kanan who was checking on the sensors.

"Already?" Sabine called out as the ex-Jedi rushed outside. So much for three minutes. The Mandalorian quickly rushed to the main console and tried her best to speed up the process. Unfortunately, there was little she could do.

" _Sabine we've got targets incoming,"_ Kanan reported.

"You said I'd get three minutes," protested Sabine.

" _Well now you get one so hurry up!"_ snapped Kanan.

Chopper complained with a series of grunts and beeps. "Yeah you and me both," Sabine agreed.

Thankfully the data spike quickly finished and the astromech removed the cylinder. "Okay I've got a signal. It worked now let's go," Sabine reported, verifying their program was working.

The two rushed for the exit but Kanan blocked them the second they stepped outside. "Not this way. Back inside," he said.

"Are you crazy?!" snapped Sabine.

"Take the lift. Hera will meet you at the top," Kanan instructed in a tone that meant this wasn't up for debate.

"Wait. What about you?" protested Ezra.

"I'll take the next one," promised Kanan. Sabine and the others quickly rushed back inside as Kanan shut the door behind them.

"C'mon kid let's go," Zeb said, trying to grab Ezra along who wasn't happy about leaving his Master and friend behind. The four rebels entered the turbo lift at the back at the control room and took up it to the observation room on the top floor. Hera better get their fast because there was nowhere else they could run to up here.

The four exited onto the maintenance deck outside but realized it was a big mistake. Six Stormtroopers dressed in black armor and skull shaped helmets landed onto the deck via jetpacks. Four landed on the deck on opposite sides of their targets while two more landed on the tower superstructure above everyone, using the elevated position for cover. Sabine didn't know who these guys were they were definitely not your standard military unit judging from their armor and equipment. They looked more like Arc Troopers then Stormtroopers.

"Don't move," one of them ordered.

"Slag that," muttered Zeb. He suddenly charged into two troopers, tackling them both to the ground. Sabine used the chaos to quickly pull out a grenade and toss it at the two troopers on the opposite side of the deck. They quickly jumped off before the grenade could explode and activated their jetpacks. Sabine grabbed Ezra and quickly shoved him backside. She turned to see Zeb wrestling on the ground but suddenly screamed as his two opponents jabbed him with stun rods. Electricity coursed through his body before knocking unconscious.

"Zeb!" Ezra shouted but Sabine held him back. Chopper quickly joined them inside before the Mandalorian shut the main door and blasted the controls.

"What are you doing? We can't just leave him!" screamed Ezra.

"If we go back out there we're dead," snapped Sabine. She didn't want to leave Zeb but they were outnumbered and going up against a group of soldiers far better equipped and trained than the typical Imperials they were used to fighting. Sabine quickly examined the room for another exit. Sparks ignited from the exit as the troopers outside were starting to cut their way inside.

Finally Sabine found something. There was a maintenance hatch that led directly up to the antennae on the roof but she wasn't naïve enough to think it wouldn't be guarded. In fact she didn't see any way out for them that would end well. "You think we can climb that to the roof?" Ezra asked, noticing the ladder as well.

"Hold up. It'll be guarded," Sabine warned.

"Would you rather stay here?" complained Ezra.

"No but I'd rather get out of here alive," replied Sabine. She pulled out her com link and contacted Hera. "Spectre 2 where are you?"

" _I'm…a little busy,"_ Hera reported with the sound of explosions and energy fire in the background.

* * *

Hera was swerving and diving her baby all over the night sky. At least two squadrons of Ties were swarming the area around the tower and the Ghost wasn't designed to take on so many fighters at once. She tried multiple times to get close only for the Imperials to try and attack. The Ties seemed more interested in just keeping the Ghost away from the Communications Tower rather than actually chasing the ship down.

"There's no way I'm going to be able to get close to the tower. I need to draw the fighters away and then come back around. Hopefully I'll have just enough time to pick you all up," Hera said.

To her surprise, she could hear the cockpit door open. The Twi'lek turned around to Second Sister standing inside with an irritated look on her face. "What's going on?" the Inquisitor demanded.

* * *

Sabine knew they didn't have time for Hera's plan. The Imps were almost finished cutting open the door and once they got through, they were all as good as dead. The maintenance shaft was their only hope but it was sure to be guarded and even if they get up top, they'd have nowhere else to do and be vulnerable to the troopers with jetpacks on. The Mandalorian knew there was only one thing left to do.

Ezra readied his lightsaber as Chopper prepared his stun blaster, both ready to make a last stand. Sabine wasn't going to let anything happen to them. They were family and nothing's more important than family.

"Ezra, Chopper. I'm going to open the maintenance hatch and tossed a flashbang through it. That should disorient anyone guarding the exit long enough for you two to escape," Sabine said.

"Escape? How?" asked Ezra.

"Chopper will fly you out of here. His flight systems can only hold one of us, not both. The second my grenades go off, I want the two of you to fly outta her like Mynocks out of a Sarlacc Pit," Sabine ordered.

"No way. I'm not leaving you," protested Ezra. They didn't have time to debate this. Sabine set her blaster to stun and shot Ezra. He was going to furious when he wakes up but at least this way he has a chance of survival. Sabine then dragged him over to Chopper and used her supply of grabbling line to tie him securely to the astromech.

The whole time Chopper beeped and moaned in protest, refusing to leave without her. "I'll miss you too and tell Ezra I'm sorry," Sabine told the droid.

The Mandalorian readied her grenades and pressed the open button for the maintenance hatch. The door on the rooftop opened and Sabine tossed up two flashbangs through it. The second they exploded, Chopper's rockets ignited and he flew with an unconscious Ezra up through the hatch and outside. It wasn't a moment too soon before the Imperials cut through the door and tossed in several grenades. Sabine closed her eyes as they detonated. Instead of feeling a quick death from an intense explosion, she felt a sudden jolt of energy. Sabine screamed in pain as she realized they were stun grenades, jolting her body with volts of electricity before everything went dark.


	10. Chapter 10

"How did you get out?" demanded Hera while she was still struggling to avoid blaster fire from the pursuing Ties.

"Did you really think a blast door would hold me?" Sister threw him a look. "Now what in the hell is going on?"

"We're about to get turned to scrap that's what. I need you to man the turret on top of the ship," Hera ordered. She wasn't happy the Inquisitor managed to escape but she couldn't be picky about who she got her help from.

Second Sister growled as she rushed out of the cockpit. A few seconds later the dorsal turret on top of the ship opened fire, destroying two Ties and forcing the rest to scatter. Guess that Inquisitor was good for something other than swinging around a laser sword. The Ties were caught off guard but were quickly regrouping. It was now or never.

Hera was about to head for the tower when she received a transmission from Chopper. He had escaped the tower with Ezra and needed to be picked up immediately. "What about the others?" Hera asked.

Chopper replied with a somber chime. There was nothing they could do for them. Hera didn't have time to argue or let the shock hit her as she directed the ship towards the astromech's signal.

* * *

Ezra regained consciousness with the wind blowing into his face. He opened his eyes and realized he was staring at the ground a good several hundred feet below him. Ezra screamed, terrified he was falling until he realized he was strapped around something. Chopper muttered an irritated chirp, ordering his passenger to stop screaming like a baby.

"What the…what happened?" Ezra shouted. Chopper spouted more electronic grunts, explaining that Sabine stunned him and strapped him onto the droid to escape before the Imperials broke into the tower. His jets could only hold one of them so the Mandalorian had to stay behind.

"What? We have to go back!" demanded Ezra. Chopper suddenly veered to the left as blaster fire shot past them. Ezra glanced behind them to see two black armored Stormtroopers chasing after them via jetpacks. Their thrusters must be better than Chopper's because they were getting closer.

"Must go faster! Must go faster!" Ezra yelled at Chopper. The droid groaned at him to shut up.

More lasers shot through the sky past them but the green energy bolts were far too big to have come from a normal blaster. Ezra glanced behind them to see the Ghost coming up behind them exchanging fire with multiple Tie Fighters in pursuit. Chopper turned again, heading right into the path of the incoming ships.

"Uhh…Chopper?" gulped Ezra, starting to think the droid's logic circuits were fried. Chopper ignored him heading on direst path towards the Ghost. The rebel ship suddenly flipped in the air, opening its cargo compartment along with firing maneuvering thrusters to slow it down. Chopper flew right inside, crashing onto the floor and sliding to the end of the cargo hold. It was a bumpy ride but Ezra was just glad they managed to get inside in one piece.

The cargo door closed behind them then Ezra could feel the ship picking up speed.

* * *

Kanan's battle against the Inquisitor ended the same way it always did. With that yellow eyed Pau'an triumphant only this time he had something to actually show for it. Kanan managed to hold his ground longer against the dark sider thanks to his training with Second Sister but in the end, the Grand Inquisitor still managed to subdue the former Jedi. Stormtroopers accosted him, patting down Kanan before putting him in shackles and forcing him to his knees. He could only watch the battle overhead between the Ghost and Tie Fighters, hoping Hera managed to get away.

A few minutes after the ships all vanished in the dawn sky, the Communications Tower opened. Multiple Stormtroopers in black armor marched out and Kanan's heart sank when he saw Zeb and Sabine in between them. The two had their hands cuffed behind their backs and were lead right over to Kanan where they too were forced to kneel.

"Where's the boy?" the Inquisitor asked one of the Stormtroopers who had medal insignias stamped on his armor, making him stand out from the others. The soldier removed his helmet. He was probably mid-forties and had the look of a soldier with the grim eyes and battle scars across his face. This had to be the leader of whatever group these troopers were comprised of.

"He managed to escape via a droid to their ship. Knight Squadron is in pursuit," the soldier answered.

"Heh. You're going to need new pilots," mocked Zeb, somehow managing to smile despite the circumstances. One of the troopers guarding the Lasat lifted up his rifle and slammed the butt end in Zeb's face. The blow knocked him to the ground, dazing him.

"Shut it you animal," the trooper grunted.

"Governor Tarkin this is Major Velken. Area secured, you are cleared for landing," the leader spoke into his wrist com.

* * *

Ezra managed to cut himself free from Chopper via his lightsaber. The astromech freaked out but Ezra made sure he didn't damage the droid. He then climbed up the ladder into the crew quarters and rushing through it into the cockpit as Ghost shook from incoming fire. Along the way he could hear the dorsal turret on top of the ship firing back. If Hera was piloting the ship then that meant Second Sister had to be the manning the guns. Things must be really bad if Hera was letting the former Inquisitor help.

Ezra rushed inside the cockpit where Hera was struggling to maneuver the ship. "We have to go back! Sabine, Zeb, and Kanan are still there!" he yelled.

"We're not going to be able to help any of them if we don't get out of here Ezra. The Ghost can't handle this many Ties now get into the Nose Turret!" Hera shouted back.

* * *

A dropship, surrounded by an entire squadron of Tie Fighters, descended onto the grounds of the Communications Tower. Every Stormtrooper stood at attention with even the Inquisitor standing up straighter. The dropship landed gently on the ground before opening its passenger doors. Several troopers stepped outside but the man following them was the real center of attention.

Kanan had seen Grand Moff Tarkin in holovids over the years but seeing the man up close didn't do him justice. Tarkin's face seemed frozen as if etched out of stone. His glare felt like the Moff's eyes could somehow peer right into Kanan's soul. His sheer presence intimated everyone around him including the Inquisitor. That is saying a lot even without knowing his reputation. The man was responsible for the massacre of thousands of civilians on Antar 4 and the subjugation and enslavement of multiple worlds throughout the Outer Rim.

The Inquisitor, Kallus, and the soldier named Major Velken stepped in front of the prisoners to greet the approaching Governor. The Pau'an didn't say a word to his superior, rather he held up Kanan's lightsaber like it was a gift.

Tarkin took the lightsaber and said, "Well done Inquisitor. Now these are the results I expect."

The Governor then turned his attention to the prisoners, sizing all three of them up. "Are these all of them?" he asked.

"One managed to escape back to their ship before it fled the area," reported Velken.

"Apparently you taught your Padawan well," the Inquisitor taunted Kanan. "Running comes as naturally to him as it does to you."

"Ezra's got more guts then you ever will," Sabine shot back.

"I rather doubt that," scoffed the Inquisitor.

"And what of their ship?" demanded Tarkin.

"Knight Squadron is in pursuit," answered Velken. He activated his wrist com and said, "Knight Leader report in."

The Imperial Major was answered with silence. "Knight Leader respond," demanded Velken.

Tarkin's eyes narrowed in disappointment while Kallus sighed in frustration. Velken deactivated his com and then glared at the prisoners who all smirked at him. "Told ya you're going to need new pilots," taunted Zeb.

"Enough," said Tarkin. "I want the three of them transported to my Star Destroyer for their interrogations."

He approached Kanan and knelt down to look at him face to face. "I've heard much about the Jedi's famed resistance to pain though my time in the Clone Wars showed me that most of their reputations were exaggerated. After all, they were nothing more than flesh and blood. Order 66 proved that," Tarkin mocked.

Kanan was about rush him, regardless of the consequences but a trooper grabbed him from behind and forced him to remain on his knees. Tarkin stood back up and headed back to his dropship. "Bring them," he ordered.

* * *

Ezra breathed a sigh of relief as climbed back up to the crew quarters after finishing off the last of the pursuing Ties. The other shooter, who had to be Second Sister, got in more kills but her turret had a 180 degree field of fire while Ezra would only shoot in one general direction. His hunch about the Inquisitor turned out to be true as she slide down the ladder from the dorsal turret station.

"Hera let you out?" asked Ezra.

"I let myself out," replied Sister.

"Now that makes a lot more sense," remarked Ezra.

Hera and Chopper emerged from the bridge. "No more Imperials on sensors, we're clear," the Twi'lek Captain stated.

"Hera we have to go back. Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine…" Ezra pleaded.

"Would want you to finish the mission," Hera interrupted.

"What mission?" frowned Sister.

* * *

Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine were roughly shoved into Tarkin's dropship. The Grand Moff, Grand Inquisitor, Agent Kallus, and Major Velken along with his black Stormtroopers boarded as well. Kanan was tempted to possibly try and tackle one of them out of the ship once it was high enough in the air. The fall would kill them both but taking out Tarkin or the Grand Inquisitor might actually be worth it.

"Be careful. Your thoughts betray you," The Grand Inquisitor smiled. Kanan knew the Pau'an wasn't reading his mind but that didn't mean he couldn't read subtle hints on the Jedi's face and body. If the Inquisitor was expecting him to make a move then Kanan wouldn't stand a chance. Even if he did somehow succeed, it wouldn't save Zeb and Sabine. For now, Kanan needed to be patient and wait for an opportunity to escape.

The shop rose into the sky and headed towards the Capital City. Kallus put a hand up to his helmet, listening to something on his com. "Go ahead...What? How?!" he shouted.

The rest of the passengers all turned their heads towards him. "Is there a problem Agent Kallus?" asked Tarkin.

"We've lost control of the Communications Tower. It's broadcasting a transmission on all frequencies," Kallus replied.

"Show me," ordered Tarkin. Kallus pressed a button on his wrist computer which activated the speaker function for his com, allowing everyone else to hear the transmission.

" _We have been called criminals but we are not,"_ Ezra's voice spoke through the com. Kanan had to admit despite his current situation, a smile formed on his face as well as on Sabine and Zeb. _"We are rebels fighting for the people. Fighting for you. I'm not that old but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal. Maybe not greater but never like this. See what the Empire has done to your lives, your families, and your freedoms. It's only going to get worse unless we stand up and fight back."_

"Cut power to the transmitter now," Tarkin demanded.

"That'll take time. Its power systems was designed with multiple redundancies to prevent saboteurs from disabling it," explained Kallus.

"Oh the irony," chuckled Sabine.

Tarkin turned towards the cockpit and said, "Pilot bring us about and ready weapon systems."

"Uhh…yes sir," replied a confused pilot.

Tarkin activated his com. "This is Grand Moff Tarkin to all nearby aerial units. Take up positions around the Communications Tower and open fire on its foundations," he ordered.

"Sir?" said the pilot, now completely stunned.

Tarkin narrowed his eyes. "Did I stutter?"

"Uhh…no sir. Readying missiles," the pilot quickly replied.

Ezra's transmission continued to play. _"It won't be easy. There'll be loss and sacrifice but we can't back down just because we're afraid. That's when we need to stand the tallest. That's what my parents taught me and that's what my new family helped me remember."_

Kanan could see through the front windshield from the cockpit several nearby dropships all firing missiles at the Communications Tower. He couldn't believe the Empire was actually willing to destroy their own tower just to silence a single unwanted transmission.

" _Stand up together because that's when we're strongest. As one…"_ Ezra's voice spoke until the missiles impacted the tower. The resulting explosions caused the large structure to topple to the ground, destroying it and cutting off the transmission.

"Were their people inside there?" Zeb asked, not believing the Empire would do something so drastic.

"Unfortunate victims of your terrorist attack," Tarkin replied. Zeb growled at him but the troopers held him back. "None of you know how to win a war but I do."

* * *

Ezra's transmission turned to static as he realized he was out of time. The Empire must have disabled the transmitter on the Communications Tower. He should have felt some kind of vindication for getting the message out but this so called victory felt hollow. "Was it worth it?" Ezra asked though he knew the answer.

"I don't know," admitted Hera in a hollow voice. She was just as shaken up over losing the others as Ezra was.

"Unbelievable," Sister sighed in irritation. "You launch an attack that gets three of your members captured all so you can get a little airtime on the HoloNet? How stupid are you people?"

Hera spun around, getting in the Inquisitor's face. "Hey! We'll be dumping you on another planet soon enough so do us all a favor and keep your distance."

"Oh I'll be keeping my distance alright. I'm not sticking around when you two get yourselves killed. Our deal was that you drop me off on a planet of my choosing and now I'm cashing that in," ordered Sister.

"We can't leave now. Kanan, Sabine and Zeb…" protested Ezra.

"Are as good as dead," Sister interrupted him. She turned her attention back to Hera and said, "Set a course for Nar Shaddaa."

* * *

 _Krell and Varra were in the Communications Tower going over a map of the nearby terrain. They were plotting the quickest route back to the capital when Captain Rex entered the room._

" _General, Commander, might I suggest another option to secure the capital," Rex stated._

" _What would that be Captain?" inquired Krell, though his attention was fixated on the map._

" _My men have cracked the Umbaran codes. With the Starfighters, we could sneak past the supply ship's defenses. We take it out and we cut off the arms to the capital," explained Rex._

" _And who would you propose would fly these Starfighters? Are your troops now pilots?" Krell asked, somewhat insultingly._

" _My men may not be pilots sir but they are able to learn and adapt quickly," replied Rex. "A few of them have already demonstrated that."_

" _Even if you did manage to get past the blockade and land inside the ship, the droids onboard would outnumber you several hundred to one," Varra pointed out._

" _I'm not saying it'll be easy but if we load enough ordinance onboard the fighters, they could deposit the explosives and escape before detonation. With the amount of missiles and explosives onboard, the explosion will start a chain reaction that will destroy the entire ship," Rex said._

" _I'm afraid I can't afford to waste any clones on frivolous adventures," Krell replied. "We're going to need everyone to take the capital."_

 _Less than an hour later, an alarm went off. "Sir there appears to be a disturbance in the lower hangar 9-4," a trooper reported._

 _Krell pushed the clone aside and activated the com. "Trooper what's going on down there? Trooper…report trooper!" he shouted._

" _Uh yes sir everything's fine in the hangar sir. Nothing's out of control down here," a clone reported via the com. Krell and Varra exchanged suspicious looks._

" _Then why have the alarms been triggered?" demanded Krell._

" _Uh…it's just a drill. A safety drill sir," the clone answered, far too awkwardly._

" _Safety check occurs at 0600. Who authorized this drill?" asked Krell._

" _Uh…we are decrypting alien hardware sir. A standard operating procedure," the clone replied._

" _Who is this? What's your CT number?" demanded Krell, not believing a word he's been told. "Trooper identify yourself!"_

 _The tower shook from an explosion. Varra turned to the observation windows to see one of the hangars had its doors completely blown off._

" _Varra get down there and find out what's going on," Krell ordered._

* * *

" _What's going on here?" Varra demanded as she stepped inside the damaged hangar. It looked like a battle just took place with most of the equipment and ships knocked over or destroyed. The only thing that seemed untouched was a single Umbaran fighter in the middle of the hangar. Rex followed close behind her, responding to the chaos almost as quickly as the Jedi Padawan did. She immediately homed in on the two clones were standing next to the untouched fighter. Varra recognized them as Hardcase and Fives, the two clones who heroically infiltrated the base and stole two enemy fighters to attack the Umbaran tanks._

" _Commander," the two clones saluted._

" _Explain this now," demanded Varra._

" _Sir we were decrypting the enemy craft when what appears to be an enemy booby trap. The fighter went haywire and had I not been able to get control of it and fire and aim it at the doors, something worse might have happened," Hardcase explained._

" _Is this true?" Varra eyed Fives suspiciously._

" _Uh…yes sir. That is what happened, no doubt," nodded Fives._

" _Then my master was correct about your plan Captain Rex. The Umbaran fighters are too dangerous for combat," Varra commented._

" _But sir we now know how they work. We just need practice," argued Hardcase._

" _And how do you know you won't activate another hidden booby trap within the fighter's subroutines?" inquired Varra._

" _We weren't expecting it Commander but now we know what we're looking for. Besides me and Hardcase managed to pilot two of these ships to help in the battle to take this base without anything like this," protested Fives._

" _And where are those two fighters now?" asked Varra. The two clones gulped nervously as they glanced over the wreckage of two fighters that were destroyed during the chaos a few minutes ago._

" _The Umbarans probably initiated some kind of sabotage program on their fighters after they knew the battle was lost so we couldn't use them and with the only two reliable fighters destroyed, we can't risk it. Lock down these fighters," ordered Varra._

 _The two clones clearly wanted to argue more but they didn't know what to say. Varra suspected there was more going on then what they were telling but she didn't have time to fight out. The 501_ _st_ _would be marching in less than eleven hours and they needed every available man for the attack on the capital._

* * *

" _Keep the patrols on high alert until we move out. We can't risk being caught off guard in case the Umbarans attempt a counter-attack to retake this base," Varra ordered as she strolled across the airbase with Rex. They only had a few hours left until they needed to move out. Everyone was tense, knowing the casualties were high but Varra tried to keep the men focused. It didn't help that her Master had basically spent his entire time in the Communications Tower secluded from his troops. He needed to be out here and keeping the men's spirits up. Varra disagreed with marching out with the enemy possessing such firepower but what else could they do? They couldn't just sit in this base and let other Clones and Jedi die in this battle._

" _Look sir!" a nearby clone shouted. Varra and Rex both turned to see three Umbaran fighters taking off from an air pad and blasting up into the sky._

" _You've got to be kidding me," Varra muttered under her breath. She didn't need to be told who was responsible for this, she knew Fives and Hardcase were the ones onboard those fighters along with someone else._

" _Oh Commander I should have mentioned this earlier. I authorized the recon of the delta in preparation for the attack of the capital," Rex said._

" _I ordered you to lock them all down!" snapped Varra._

" _We disabled their weapon systems. They shouldn't pose a threat to anyone," Rex calmly replied._

" _Did my Master authorize this reconnaissance?" demanded Varra._

" _No Commander but I'm sure he wouldn't object to have a more thorough report of enemy positions," Rex answered._

 _Varra glared at him, certain he was hiding something. It seemed to be a recurring trend among the clones. "Make sure Master Krell receives your report immediately once they get back," she said, eyeing the Captain suspiciously._

" _Of course sir," Rex said, saluting her._

" _And the next time you circumvent one of my orders, you'll be spending the rest of this campaign in the brig," Varra warned._

* * *

Sister's eyes snapped open, her meditation broken from a banging on the door. She was seated back in the room the Ghost crew had kept her in for the past few weeks, only now she had her lightsaber and the ability to leave any time she wanted. Disabling the door was rather simple. Using the Force to slowly wear down the magnetic locks and motors inside the ceiling to disable the blast door used to block any escape. The mechanics were designed to seal off a fire, not be used as a door to a holding cell. If the crew used a shield emitter to keep Sister inside, they might have succeeded. Now the only thing keeping her inside was the simple door which wouldn't hold her for a minute if she wanted to get out.

Unfortunately it didn't keep anyone else from getting inside which was clear as it slide open to reveal Ezra. "No," Sister said.

"I haven't said anything," protested Ezra.

"You don't need to. There's only one reason why you'd want to speak to me and it's not for the pleasure of my company. You want me to help you save your precious Master and crew. The answer's no." replied Sister. Thankfully they were already underway to Nar Shaddaa as Sister wouldn't tolerate any possible attempts by the rebels into coercing her into assisting them further. They got their information and though they'll probably squander it, Sister held up her end of the deal. As far as she was concerned, her business with the rebel cell was concluded.

Ezra stepped inside despite not be invited and after Sister making it abundantly clear they had nothing left to discuss. Sister had to admit the boy had guts. The Padawan closed the door behind him. "Look I get it that you don't care about what happens to us but you should," Ezra spoke.

Sister snorted in amusement. "Since I have nothing better to waste my time with, do go on into more details. I could use a good laugh," she chuckled.

"You're on the run from the Empire and I'm guessing you don't have many friends left. Assuming you have any at all," Ezra explained. "You can run all you want but eventually you're going to need help if you're going to survive. Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine all risked their lives to save yours."

"And got themselves caught on a stupid mission that had nothing to do with me. Besides they only helped me to get the information in my head," remarked Sister.

"That's not why I did it. You can call me stupid all you want but I did it because you needed my help," Ezra said. He sounded slightly desperate but his words came out too smoothly. The boy had definitely been rehearsing this speech probably ever since they left Lothal.

Sister threw him a look. "Are you expecting a thank you?"

"No. I just want you to think. You needed our help to get off Lothal. What happens the next time you're in trouble? Who's going to help you then?" Ezra challenged.

"Relying on others is a weakness. Their failure can become yours," Sister sighed, getting slightly irritated.

"You trusted us to save you," Ezra pointed out.

"I trusted your motive that helping me would benefit you. I don't trust anyone and neither should you. I'd have thought the truth of Senator Gall Trayvis would have taught you that," Sister rolled her eyes.

"Fine you don't trust anybody but you'll still need help," said Ezra.

"Not yours," remarked Sister.

Ezra shook his head in frustration and turned to leave. Sister thought she would be spared from any further banter from the boy until his eyes locked onto mechanical pieces scattered on the floor in a corner. "You smashed your blood screener?" he frowned.

"Get out," growled Sister.

"Is there…something wrong with you?" Ezra inquired.

"I said get out!" Sister shouted before getting to her feet. She grabbed the boy by the arm and opened the door, roughly shoving Ezra outside before slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

Nal Hutta might be considered the capital of the Hutt's vile criminal syndicate but Nar Shaddaa was the crown jewel of the slug's vast interstellar real estate. A small moon orbiting the planet of Nal Hutta, Nar Shaddaa (also known as the Smuggler's Moon) was a vast metropolis of buildings that could almost rival Coruscant in size. It was the center of commerce for both Hutt Space and the Outer Rim. Despite being run by different factions of Hutts and gangsters, most of the bazaars and large markets were kept free from violence. People shooting each other in the streets tended to scare off customers and even the most vile crime lord on the planet knew better than to sully the flow of wealth and technology that passed through. Everywhere else, on the other hand, was chaotic slums where violence and desperation are the norm.

Ezra only knew about the moon by reputation. Yet on approach, the sight of Nar Shaddaa took his breath away. He had seen cities before but none on the scale the Hutt controlled planetoid had. Mass webs of buildings hundreds of stories tall stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see. Ships and speeders clogged up the sky, forcing Hera to divert their course more than once. As awestruck as Ezra was, it did nothing to dampen the guilt he felt. Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine were probably being tortured right now and he was sightseeing.

Second Sister made it abundantly clear that she wanted to be dropped off on Nar Shaddaa immediately. She probably figured Ezra and Hera were going to do something rash to save their friends and wanted to be as far away from that as possible. The former Inquisitor was only half-right. Ezra wanted to rescue them but Hera wanted to lay low after first dropping off their passenger. She was just as devastated as Ezra was but wouldn't allow any kind of rescue. The last thing they needed was to either get caught or killed themselves. The only way to convince Hera to change her mind is if they had a good plan and the right people to help pull it off. Ezra wasn't sure about the plan but he knew they would need Sister if they were going to pull off any attempt at a rescue. The problem was that she wasn't interested.

So now hear they were, landing on a durasteel platform on a skyscraper in the middle of the Red Light Sector. The vast city district slum was considered the perfect place for someone to disappear into which is probably why Sister chose this destination. Also Nar Shaddaa was outside of the Empire's jurisdiction. The only thing to worry about here would be the bounty hunters coming after her but Ezra had no doubt she could handle a few punks with blasters.

"Best of luck to you," Hera told Sister as the Inquisitor was about to disembark.

"I don't need luck," Sister replied. She sealed up the face shield on her helmet then walked down the loading ramp and onto the landing platform.

Ezra took a deep breath and quickly followed her. "Ezra," Hera tried to stop him but he ignored her.

"Wait," Ezra called out. Sister didn't stop. She just kept walking as if she never heard him. Grumbling Ezra was forced to run faster, catching up with her. He glanced behind him to see Hera watching but not moving to come after him. He was grateful she trusted him enough to try one last plea.

"Chopper analyzed your blood screener before I gave it back to you. He said the device was set to check specifically for a chemical called Sclophamin. It's an industrial chemical used to make explosives. Small concentrations were found in the last blood sample the device was used on. That was yours wasn't it?" Ezra spoke as he walked beside her.

Sister came to a halt and turned to him. Ezra couldn't see her face but knew he at least had her attention. "And I'm guessing the results of the last scan you did weren't any better considering you shattered it. What's wrong with you?"

"You really are persistent," Sister sighed in annoyance. She tapped a button on her helmet, unrolling her face shield. She wanted to look him in the eyes for what she had to say next. "Do you really think knowing if something is wrong with me will help you? That you can offer to help my so called predicament and so I will help you rescue your friends?" Sister asked.

"Maybe…maybe not. Right now I just want to know," Ezra said.

Sister was silent for a moment. "Sclophamin is used for all kind of explosives but it's the best chemical for microscopic charges. Specifically ones you put inside of people's bodies," she spoke.

Ezra's eyes widened at that. "You…have a bomb inside you?"

"Every Inquisitor has one implanted inside of them. It's the Empire's way of keeping us in line," nodded Sister.

"Then why don't you remove it?" asked Ezra.

"Not that simple," replied Sister. "The device is right next to my heart so the only way to get it out is via invasive surgery. Even then it wouldn't do me any good as the bomb is rigged to explode if tampered with incorrectly. The only people who know how to properly remove it are in highly classified medical facilities that are more heavily guarded then most prisons."

"What about disabling the device with an Ion weapon?" Ezra inquired.

"I already did," answered Sister. "It disabled the remote detonator so the Empire can't send a kill transmission to it but the secondary detonator that activates should the bomb be tampered with isn't electronic. Now I'd be more than happy to just leave that thing inside of me if it meant staying alive but unfortunately I don't have the luxury of a choice. There must be a micro fissure in the bomb's casing because traces of Sclophamin are leaking into my blood stream. I've been able to counter the effects with Bacta injections and the Force but they can only do so much. The trace amounts are increasing and soon no amount of medication will be able to stop the side effects. First I'll become dizzy and more disoriented then weakness of the muscles. After that breathing becomes more iritic and labored. My immune system will diminish, my internal organs will start to shut down, and then finally death."

Ezra was too stunned to say anything. Second Sister was dying. No wonder she didn't really care about helping Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb considering her own problems. He was about to ask why didn't she mention any of this before but it was perfectly obvious. Sister was too proud to admit, always putting up a tough face. Also she had no reason to trust the Ghost crew either so why mention a weakness?

"Happy now that you know?" asked Sister.

"Not really," admitted Ezra. "But what are you going to do now?"

"A lot of highly advanced medical equipment passes through Nar Shaddaa. Maybe I'll get lucky and find something that can help me," explained Sister. She turned to leave.

"If you really believed that, you would have had us brought you here the moment you were healthy again," Ezra pointed out. Sister froze, essentially confirming the Padawans' comment. "Besides you were the one who said you don't need luck," Ezra added.

Sister turned around. "And what other option do you suggest? Helping you? Storming an Imperial prison to rescue your friends will get me killed faster than just letting the rest of the bomb leak into my blood," she challenged.

"Maybe but if we rescue my friends then you'll have six more individuals willing to help you," Ezra said.

"Six?" frowned Sister.

"Chopper counts too. Just don't tell him I said that," quipped Ezra. "You stand a lot better chance of finding a way to save your live with us then just yourself. And if you can't find some way to save yourself, wouldn't you want to at least go out getting some measure of revenge against the Empire?"

"Revenge isn't the Jedi way," Sister reminded him.

"You're not a Jedi," Ezra replied, reciting the same line she used on Kanan back when they were all hiding in Ezra's old home in Lothal City. He turned and walked back to the ship, hoping his words managed to at least get the Inquisitor to think it over. He was too nervous to look back and see if she was watching him go and just simply walking away.

Hera was waiting for him back on loading ramp on the Ghost. She wasn't angry but rather seemed proud. "What'd you say to her?" she asked.

Ezra turned and saw no sign of Sister. "Doesn't matter," he sighed in disappointment.

Hera gave him a comforting tap on the shoulder as the two headed back inside. The ramp closed behind them along with the blast door. "We'll take off once we've finished refueling," Hera said.

"And then we'll head back to Lothal?" Ezra said hopefully.

"Ezra…" Hera said uncomfortably and took too long to say anything else.

"You don't want to go back," Ezra realized.

"Ezra we can't risk a suicide mission for the others. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb wouldn't want us to throw our lives away for them," Hera explained.

"So you're just giving up on them?!" snapped Ezra.

"You think I don't want to help them?" Hera shot back. The two of them calmed down, realizing their tempers were starting to flare.

"I lost three of my friends today Ezra. I'm not losing you and Chopper too," Hera sighed.

Ezra was about to apologize when a series of metallic banging caught his attention. "What's that?" he asked.

"Sounds like someone's knocking on the ship's hull," Hera frowned. The two headed back to the loading ramp and opened it up to reveal a surprising sight.

Second Sister was waiting outside. She started walking up the ramp the second it touched down and into the ship. "What are you doing back here?" asked Hera.

The former Inquisitor tapped a button on her helmet, sliding open her face shield. She stared directly at Ezra and said, "I'm going to help you get your friends back."


	11. Chapter 11

(Dr. Vadam pointed out that Varra seemed a little aggressive with the clones in the previous chapter. Allow me to explain. Varra had just been chastised harshly by Krell for openly questioning him in front of the clones. So she was trying to seem completely behind him after that and she was angry with Rex because Hardcase, Jesse, and Fives disobeyed orders to use the Umbaran fighters and Rex was clearly trying to cover for them. Hope that clears some things up.)

Major Velken entered the interrogation room where the one they call Zeb was being held. Unlike the Jedi and Mandalorian, the Lasat was suspended in a blue containment field that encased his entire body and hung him several feet off the ground. The technology was so effective, it could even hold Jedi. The Lasat glared at the Major as he slowly circled the alien, getting a bearing on his foe.

"Comfortable?" Velken asked.

"Actually this thing seems to be going wonders for my back," snorted Zeb.

"Where is Second Sister?" Velken demanded.

"Don't have a sister and even if I did, she wouldn't be interested in you," quipped Zeb.

"That traitor stole a valuable piece of equipment. The Enigma decoder, where is it?" Velken asked another question.

"It's at your place. Your men and I are throwing you a surprise party complete with cake and presents," chuckled Zeb.

"Humor masking as fear. How transparent of you," Velken smiled.

"Let me down from here and you'll see how terrified I am," Zeb challenged.

"Such hostility. I really don't understand where all this hatred comes from," remarked Velken.

"Your Empire attacked my world and slaughtered my people!" shouted Zeb.

"True but they deserved it," nodded Velken. Zeb growled, straining his limbs against the field.

"Are you growling at me like an animal?" laughed Velken.

"When I get out of here I will kill you!" threatened Zeb.

"I think it's time the animal was broken in," Velken remarked, pressing a button on the control pad he was holding.

Zeb screamed in pain as jolts of electricity coursed through his body. After a few seconds, Velken deactivated the torture device. "The next time the charge will be increased now tell me where Second Sister is and the Enigma device," he warned.

"Go stick your head in an exhaust port," spat Zeb.

"Very well," said Velken before activating the torture device. This time he left it on for a few more seconds, Zeb screaming the entire time.

"Do you know where I learned my interrogation tactics from? Zygerrian Slavers. Vile creatures but they do know a thing or two about conditioning their slaves," Velken explained.

"And you're even worse than them," Zeb groaned, in pain after that last series of shocks.

"That's only because you don't see the bigger picture. Everything I do, no matter how violent or cruel, is for the good of the Empire and the good for the galaxy. If aliens like your kind did the same, the Empire wouldn't need to exist. But instead of doing what is best, you defy the wishes of the Emperor and encourage chaos and disorder just like aliens like you created during the Clone Wars," scoffed Velken, letting his true feelings out.

"I fought for the Republic during the Clone Wars!" shouted Zeb.

"But you didn't stay loyal as you should have. Your people rebelled just like the Muuns, the Neimoidians, the Umbarans, the Twi'leks, the list goes on and on. It was humans who created the Republic and expanded it into the galactic power it became. It maintained peace and order throughout the galaxy…until the Republic allowed aliens to gain citizenship. Greedy creatures not even worthy of being called sentient polluted and tarnished the Republic until it became nothing more than a quagmire of decadence and corruption. Then Emperor Palpatine created the Empire and restored prestige to this once mighty civilization. Finally humans were in their rightful place as the true leaders of the galaxy once more and I won't allow rebel scum like yourself to impede progress," Velken spoke.

"Listening to you spout on is even worse than the electricity," scoffed Zeb.

"We'll see about that," smiled Velken as he activated the torture settings again, upping the voltage.

* * *

Intense bursts of electricity, chemical concoctions overstimulating the pains nerves of the body, mechanical tools removing appendages and other parts of the body. Instead the torture was complete and utter silence. The room was completely devoid of any noise. No hum of the engine, no flicker of the lights. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her own breathing.

Sabine Wren knew she'd be tortured when she was captured but none of that happened…at least not yet. She had been brought aboard a Star Destroyer, she knew that much and taken to an interrogation room. She was seated at a metallic table it and the chair Sabine was sitting in bolted to the floor. Her ankles were strapped to the chair legs and her hands shackled to the table. Once they finished securing her, her three Stormtrooper escorts left the room. For the next several hours, no one came.

Sabine supposed it must be an interrogation tactic, let her sit isolated and alone long enough to get her rattled but they were going to have to try harder than that. What really worried her was what Zeb and Kanan were enduring right now. She didn't doubt that they were going to be tortured and could handle themselves but no matter how strong they and Sabine were, everyone breaks. The only question is how much time it will take. It may in a month or a year but eventually the pain will become too much to bear and they will either confess everything they know or their bodies will die from it.

Sabine tried to pass the time by reciting numbers inside her head just to be sure the Inquisitor wasn't nearby. It was a trick Kanan taught her to block force users from using mind probes on her. She wasn't a Jedi which meant her mind wasn't completely shielded but if your mind concentrated on something and stay focused on it, it made it difficult for anyone to see anything other than those particular thoughts. Two times two equals four. Four times five equals twenty. Twenty divided by 2 equals ten. Ten times four equals forty and so on and so forth. Repeats things like that inside your head and any Inquisitor or Jedi peaking inside will have a hard time shifting through all that.

Her isolation ended once the blast door to the room slide up to the ceiling, revealing ISB Agent Kallus. "Well if it isn't Agent Incompetence. How in a Kath Hound's backside do you still have a career with all your screw ups?" mocked Sabine.

The agent said nothing, stepped inside and closing the blast door behind him. He calmly strolled up the desk and took a seat opposite of the prisoner.

"I've always wondered what you looked like under that helmet," remarked Kallus.

"Aww you think of me. That's so sweet," Sabine mocked.

Kallus smirked in amusement. "I see you have as much fire inside of you as your explosives," he commented.

"Take these off…" smirked Sabine, holding up her shackles hands. "…and I'll show you just how explosive I can be."

"As interesting as that would be, I'm afraid we're just going to talk," Kallus replied.

"Ahh no torture?" Sabine mockingly sighed.

"You're just as defiant as you were back at the Mandalore Academy," remarked Kallus. Sabine didn't respond to that. "Sabine Wren. Born of Clan Wren of House Vizla. Joined the Mandalore Imperial Academy at age 12 where you were among the top of your class. You were proficient in everything from piloting, weapons, battle tactics, mechanics, and especially explosives. Every platoon sergeant from here to Coruscant would have killed to have someone of your talents under their command. You had a bright future ahead of you but you threw away your future when you went AWOL with another cadet Ketsu Onyo. That alone would get you put in front of a firing squad."

"Then just do it already," muttered an annoyed Sabine. "Anything's better than just listen to you drivel on."

"Oh we're not done. Intelligence has reports of a certain demolition loving Mandalorian working as a bounty hunter in several Outer Rim systems. Not the brightest career move but you could have easily made a fortune selling your services to the Hutts or some other criminal scum," Kallus continued.

"Bantha poo doo has a more pleasant odor then those oversized slugs," quipped Sabine.

"You'll get no argument from me," retorted Kallus. "Then around a year ago, a certain bomber destroyed every Tie Fighter on an outpost within the system as well as defacing a picture of our Emperor."

"Which carries the bigger sentence?" Sabine asked, genially curious.

"Does it matter?" replied Kallus. "That's the time you joined the rebels and I already know the identity of your other friends. Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Garazeb Orrelios, and Hera Syndulla."

"You know their names and yet you can't catch them. Doesn't bode well for any future prospects in your career," mocked Sabine.

"What I want to know is the identity of the one you call Fulcrum," demanded Kallus.

That caught Sabine off guard. The fact that they knew about their contact with other rebel cells was disturbing. Fortunately she didn't know who Fulcrum was. "It's Blasto, the secret Republic agent with twenty tentacles and a gun in each one," laughed Sabine.

Kallus sighed, "If you won't talk, I can't help your friends."

He made a motion with his hand and a holographic screen appeared on the table. Sabine gasped when she realized she was watching a video of Kanan strapped to a torture table and being interrogated by the Grand Inquisitor. The Jedi screamed as the Pau'an activated the shock settings, sending hundreds of volts of electricity coursing through his body.

"Tell me who Fulcrum is and his torture will end. Be silent and you will be forced to watch your friends suffering," warned Kallus. Another holo-video appeared alongside the other one, showing Zeb screaming from shock torture. Sabine glared daggers at the ISB agent, straining against her restraints as the Grand Inquisitor started shocking Kanan again.

* * *

Tarkin, the Grand Inquisitor, and Kallus were all waiting in the Moff's office as Velken returned from his 'interrogation' of the Lasat. Truthfully all the torture was a show to frighten the Mandalorian into revealing what she knew but Velken allowed his true feelings to emerge during the session. The idea of the major being a sadistic soldier with a hatred for aliens was sure to get under the Lasat's skin. Velken didn't actually enjoy torture per say, it was just a method of extracting information to him. If a better option presented itself, he would have qualms about using it instead of inflicting pain. He also didn't hate all aliens. Some like Admiral Thrawn and the Grand Inquisitor have proven their worth. It's just that most are selfish scum.

"Did the Mandalorian reveal anything?" Velken asked.

"No. She only threatened to kill me," replied Kallus.

"Perhaps the Inquisitor could redirect his…talents to the others. The Jedi might be able to resist mind probes but I doubt the others are so resilient," added Velken.

"Every rebel cell we've managed to capture and interrogate was never told vital information except among their leaders. Sabine and Zeb will know nothing about Fulcrum or any other Jedi but Kanan Jarrus will." stated Kallus.

"Then perhaps we should try again. Only on the Jedi," the Grand Inquisitor suggested.

"Make him watch his friends suffer?" asked Velken.

"The Jedi of old all always strove to help those they considered to be in need. Being unable to help his own friends will be even worse," agreed Tarkin.

A chime indicated someone was at the door. "Enter," ordered Tarkin.

A cadet of about thirteen entered the room, carrying a datapad. Ever since the destruction of the Communicatons Tower, messages often had to be sent via couriers. "Message from Minister Tua sir," the cadet spoke, standing at attention.

Tarkin approached the boy and took the datapad from him. "Thank you cadet. You are dismissed," he said.

The boy saluted and left the room. The others waited as the Grand Moff shifted through the data. Velken had known the Governor long enough to know when he was irritated. It usually came in the form of a slight squinting of the eyebrows, much like he was doing now.

"Unrest has broken out among at least seven different cities on Lothal. Other settlements have reported growing anti-Imperial activates. All of which began after the rebels' signal went out," Tarkin spoke.

"We'll need to establish curfews, set up checkpoints, and increase patrols. Also we'll need to deploy reinforcements from this ship should a full scale revolt occur," suggested Kallus.

"Publicly execute the Lasat and the Mandalorian. That will destroy the people's spirits," suggested the Grand Inquisitor. "Keep the Jedi alive for me to question."

"Do that and you'll only make them heroes," Velken said.

"And what would you recommend Major?" frowned Tarkin.

"A trial," answered Velken. Everyone inside the room all stared at him, probably questioning his sanity. "Hear me out. No matter what we do, the rebels are now seen as heroes to the people of Lothal. Kill them or imprisoning them won't change that. But what if they found out these terrorists' nobility was a lie?"

"Go on," said an interested Tarkin.

* * *

Ezra knew Hera was angry just from the slight change of tone in her voice. It was a subtle thing but live with her long enough and you could pick up the signs. She seemed more suspicious then grateful at Second Sister's offer of assistance but still accepted it. Hera though had eyed Ezra afterwards and he knew they were going to have a talk about this. He didn't think she was angry at having Second Sister aiding them, the Twi'lek was probably just suspicious of how Ezra managed to convince Sister to help. The former Inquisitor wasn't exactly the charitable type and it didn't help that she refused to tell her reasons when Hera asked.

After refueling, Hera piloted the Ghost off Nar Shaddaa and plotted a course back to Lothal. The inevitable talk occurred after the ship had entered hyperspace. Second Sister left the bridge and headed back to her old room to meditate, leaving both Hera and Ezra alone in the room.

"What did you offer her?" Hera asked.

"I didn't offer her anything," answered Ezra.

"Ezra don't lie to me," Hera said sternly.

"I'm not lying," protested Ezra.

"You actually think I'd buy that she's doing this all from the kindness of her heart?" frowned Hera.

"Look Hera I didn't make any deals with her okay," Ezra explained.

"Then why else is she here? She's not the type to stick her neck out for anyone unless she gets something in return," Hera replied. "What did you say to her on that landing pad?"

"Hera do you trust me?" Ezra sighed.

"Ezra this is not about…" Hera protested.

"That's exactly what it's about. I wouldn't say she trusts me but I think Sister's become more honest with me and I'm not going to violate that trust any more than I would want to violate yours. Just know that I didn't make any deals with her, I let her know that it helps to have friends," Ezra answered. Hera clearly wanted to say more but decided to drop the matter. Ezra didn't like keeping things from her but Sister had told him about her problem in confidence, he wasn't about to ruin what little trust they had.

"So how do we get them back?" Ezra asked, changing the subject.

"I don't know and I'm not so sure we can even with Sister's help," sighed Hera.

"No we're not going to let them die. The Empire has already taken my parents, they won't take anyone else!" snapped Ezra. Hera threw him a concerned a look and Ezra realized he lost his temper.

"Ezra I want them back too but unless we have a plan that at least has a chance of success, we have to let them go," Hera said. Her voice was sympathetic but it didn't make him feel any better.

"What about Fulcrum? Can he help?" asked Ezra.

Hera shook her head. "I'm sorry Ezra but we're on our own for this," she said.

"I need to…clear my head," Ezra sighed. He left the bridge, feeling Hera's saddened eyes watching as he walked away. Ezra knew that attachments were forbidden according to the Jedi Code but that was much easier said than done. To not let anyone so close or to matter to you was something he wasn't even sure was possible. How did the Jedi of old do it? Ezra understood that the Jedi needed to be humble and shouldn't be concerned with trivial things such as wealth. But to completely remove oneself from feeling emotional bonds with other people was something else entirely. Things like joy, happiness, love, these were things that every sentient race experienced all over the galaxy. So did the Jedi want to close themselves off? Ezra supposed it was to remain emotionally balanced but it made them sound like droids. That wasn't something he wanted to become.

Ezra wandered down the crew quarters and stopped in front of Second Sister's room. He could feel her inside, her presence in the Force unmistakable.

The door suddenly slide open, revealing Sister seated inside. She was sitting with her legs crossed underneath her and her eyes closed. "You wanted to say something?" Sister asked.

Ezra couldn't help but feel a little humbled. The Inquisitor always seemed to now whenever he was around and whenever he needed to talk. Some of it had to do with the Force but it probably had to do with how well she probably could understand people.

Ezra stepped inside the room and Sister used the Force to close the door behind him. "Hera said we can't rescue them unless we have a plan. A good one," he spoke.

"For once the two of us are in agreement but that's not the only thing you want to say," remarked Sister. Perceptive as always.

"The Jedi taught that non-attachments were necessary but I don't see how that's possible. How can anyone just not care about their friends or their family?" asked Ezra.

"Makes it easier to brainwash you," replied Sister. "The easiest way to control someone is to shape their minds to reflect your beliefs at an early age. The Jedi used to take Force sensitive infants, separating them from their parents and severing all contact between them. They did this so the initiates would view the Jedi as their parents and their family. From the moment they are born till about the age of twelve is the time sentient beings are most amendable. After that, their personalities are difficult to change. That's why taking Padawans past that age was eventually forbidden."

"I have a funny feeling Kanan might say there's another reason," frowned Ezra.

"They were a cult that wanted absolute obedience. That's why they never wanted any Jedi to have attachments or emotional connections with others. Because any one that did might start to question the Jedi Code and the authority of the Jedi Council. They wanted you to believe the Masters of the Order were infallible and all knowing. The truth was they were nothing more than people, corrupt and as incompetent as the Republic Senators they served."

"You were a Jedi Padawan weren't you? Before the Jedi Purge?" Ezra asked. He suspected for quite some time but she never really confirmed it. Sister didn't confirm or deny it. She just simply closed her eyes and went back to meditating.

"One of these days, you're gonna tell me what happened to you," stated Ezra as he turned to leave.

"Keep thinking that kid," chuckled Sister.

"I'm persistent," Ezra smiled as he opened the door and left. Second Sister was a lot of things but Ezra was starting to think she was becoming something resembling a friend.

* * *

 _Varra, escorted by Sergeant Appo and three troopers, approached the tarmac as two Umbaran fighters landed inside the airbase. She wondered what happened to the other fighter as she saw Captain Rex and a trooper named Tup was speaking to the pilots Fives and Jesse. Varra knew they did more than just scout the immediate area based on how long they were gone and the fact that they were missing one pilot. They had to have attacked the supply ship like Rex had suggested to Master Krell. The clones noticed her approaching and prepared themselves._

" _Fives, Jesse, where's Hardcase?" Varra asked._

" _He…didn't make it. We couldn't have done it without him," sighed Jesse._

 _Varra was silent for a moment before asking, "Was your mission successful?"_

 _There wasn't any reason to lie to her at that point. "Yes sir. The supply ship has been destroyed," answered Fives._

" _I don't know whether to court martial you two or recommend you both get the Republic Medal of Honor," sighed Varra._

" _The latter would be preferable sir," Jesse smiled nervously. That comment got a slight chuckle from Rex, Tup, Fives, and even Varra herself._

" _Master Krell wants to see you both in the tower," stated Varra._

" _No way he's giving us a medal," Fives whispered to Jesse as they marched towards the Communications Tower._

* * *

 _Varra exited the elevator into the control room at the top of the tower with Rex, Appo, Fives, and Jesse all following behind. Krell was standing in front of the main holo console, going over scans of the area. Probably mapping out how they'll approach the capital but thanks to Fives and Jesse, they should be able to march through the terrain without fear of bombardment. Without their supply ship, the Umbarans will exhaust their remaining supplies of missiles very quickly._

" _You wanted to see them Master?" Varra spoke._

" _Indeed," Krell said, something odd in his voice. It wasn't calm but it wasn't angry either. "It seems they have accomplished a very brace act. Unfortunately, they've also committed a serious crime by directly disobeying my order."_

 _Rex stepped forward. "With all due respect sir, the order to attack the cargo vessel was mine. If there's a punishment to be given it should be directed at me. I'm their commanding officer," he said._

 _Varra eyed his suspiciously but said nothing. There's no way Rex would have ordered his men to undo a possible suicide mission. Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase had to have volunteered for such a mission._

" _General," protested Fives. "Captain Rex is attempting to take the blame for actions that were clearly mine."_

" _Fives!" hissed Rex, trying to shut him up._

" _I request his admission of guilt be denied and full blame placed on me," insisted Fives. Varra couldn't help but admire the loyalty the Clones showed towards one another. It was the reason why she found them to be far superior then the cold logic driven behavioral cores of battle droids._

" _Oh do you?" sneered Krell. "You willfully countermand my direct order and now you have the audacity to request whom should bear the punishment of your insurrection?"_

" _Master, will all due respect, insurrection is a bit harsh. They did disobey orders but…" Varra spoke up._

" _Let me clear," Krell interrupted her. "The treasonous acts committed by Arc Trooper 5555 and CT-5597 will not go unpunished."_

 _Krell then stared directly at Rex and said, "They will be court martialed, they will be found guilty, and they will be executed."_

 _Varra's jaw nearly hit the floor. She couldn't believe what she just heard. Rex, Appo, Fives, Jesse, and the rest of the clones inside the room all went motionless with the same stunned expression._

" _Make no mistake for crossing me you will pay the price," Krell said as he turned back to his console._

" _General…" Rex started to say._

" _Take them to the holding cells immediately Captain," ordered Krell, not interested in anything Rex had to say._

 _Everyone was so shocked, it took Appo and his men a second to register what they had to do. They grabbed the pair of stunned troopers Fives and Jesse, taking them back to the elevator. Rex was clinching his fists so hard, Varra swore he was break his own hands. But the Captain turned and followed the rest of the clones out._

 _Once the elevator doors shut, Varra couldn't hold back anymore. "You're going to court martial them for treason?" she almost yelled._

" _It's what they are guilty of," scoffed Krell._

" _Treason is an act of betraying the Republic. Fives and Jesse are guilty of disobeying orders but they did it to save the lives of their battalion. They blew up the Separatist supply ship for crying out loud!" snapped Varra._

" _That's not the point!" Krell shouted back. His glaring gaze would have normally made her wither and buckle but not this time. This time her Master was crossing a line. She always knew he could be stern and even harsh but never like this._

" _ARC Trooper 5555 and CT-5597's actions undermines our authority. If we allow the clones to run off and execute their own plans despite ordering them not to, what kind of message would that send? The clones will start seeing orders as optional and any army that cannot obey the commands of their superior officers is doomed for failure," Krell explained._

" _Then lock them up. They may have disobeyed orders but they don't deserve execution. Not when they risked their own lives to save us from marching on a suicide mission," protested Varra._

 _Krell spun around and marched right up to her, leaning down to speak directly in her face. "This is not about them or us. This is about every clone in the Grand Army. They must be shown they are accountable for their actions or their discipline will wither. In war, apathy is death. I have led us to victory in every campaign we've been assigned and do you know why Varra? Because I don't allow myself to become attached to these clones. They were bred for two things and they are to obey orders and fight. If they cannot do one, they are useless and must be cast off. There is too much at stake for things like sentiment. If we fail, the Republic will fail and the darkness the Council has warned about will consume the galaxy. I won't allow that to happen. Now we march to the capital in five hours. Go see the troops are prepared. Dismissed," he ordered._

 _Varra wanted to yell at him but what go would it do? Krell had already made up his mind. Fuming, Varra turned and headed towards the elevator. She tried a breathing exercise as she rode it down to the ground floor. A Jedi needed to maintain emotional balance, not let things like anger cloud their focus but it was all Varra could feel. She knew deep down this wasn't right but what other choice did she have? She was only a Padawan and he was her Master. She was expected to obey and carry out his orders. She might try going above him by speaking to the Jedi Council but that was out of the question. Communications were jammed and besides, they generally frowned upon Padawans going behind the back of their Masters._

 _Varra exited the Communications Tower with more anger boiling inside of her. As she passed by a stack of cargo crates, she unleashed her anger in a blast of telekinesis. The crates were all sent flying across the tarmac. The commotion had caught the attention of several nearby clones but Varra didn't care at this point._


	12. Chapter 12

Warmachine375: Best review ever.

Dr. Vadam: I just choose her to be human because all the rest of the Inquisitors were non-humans. The majority of the Jedi always seemed to be humans so it made sense that there should be a few human Inquisitors within their order. Her age would about the same as Ahsoka's as they were both Padawans around the same time.

* * *

Old Jho's shop was completely silent as he stepped inside but the Force was practically screaming within Ezra's mind. He had grown accustomed to the wave of emotions projected by everyday people inside of cities and large population centers. He would sense people's joy, their anger, their sorrow, but now all he sensed was fear. It was radiating from everyone inside the cantina as they eat their meals and downed their drinks. Even Old Jho, the Ithorian owner of the establishment, felt it and it was apparent with HoloNet News airing on the large screen above the bar counter. He never had that playing except whenever Imperials stepped inside his shop but now it was playing not a single Stormtrooper in sight.

Thanks to the Ghost's energy dampeners and static jammers, the ship was able to elude the multiple Star Destroyers in orbit. Hera chose to land near pit stop as most cities across the planet were too dangerous to go near and for the moment, they needed information. Old Jho's was often a safe haven for the crew of the Ghost. Old Jho and most of his customers hated the Empire which made it the perfect place to start finding out anything about Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb.

Hera had to land the ship a few kilometers away in case any Imperials were around but thankfully once she arrived with Ezra and Sister, there weren't any Imperials in sight. But you wouldn't know that with how tense everyone was. Chopper wasn't happy being left behind to guard the ship and he wasn't the only one. Though she didn't say it out loud, it was clear Hera was uneasy with having the former Inquisitor along for the ride. She didn't trust her and Ezra could understand that. He knew having Second Sister aiding them could possibly backfire in his face but someone with her power was the only way to save Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb.

The former Inquisitor decided she needed to dress more appropriately if she was going to leave the ship. Dressed in Imperial armor would only attract attention so she borrowed some spare clothing. Sister took a pair of black trousers along with a dark jacket with a black tank top underneath. She also grew her hair out in the past few weeks and now just allowed it to hang freely down her neck and shoulders whenever she wasn't wearing her helmet. Her yellow eyes were a result of the dark side and were the one thing that would stand out in public. Yet before joining Ezra and Hera, her eyes had changed to brown which must be her natural eye color. Second Sister explained it was a technique in the Force to conceal changes caused by the dark side. It was a trick she wasn't taught but found out on her own. Who knows what other tricks she found out over the years.

The three of them took seats at the bar counter. While he didn't know Sister, Old Jho instantly grabbed three glass cups and set them in front of his new customers. Ezra was about to say something but the Ithorian moved his trigger finger back and forth, letting them know to stay quiet. Ezra resisted the urge to glance around and see who else was inside the diner. There wasn't any Imperial in uniform but that didn't mean there weren't any in plain clothes or maybe informants watching this place.

"What'll it be?" asked Old Jho.

"Juma juice for me, Blue milk for him and…" Hera answered, not sure what to get Sister.

"Nysillin tea please," Second Sister spoke.

The Ithorian nodded and started filling up their cups. While he was filling Ezra's cup, Jho subtly slide a small and thin data pad underneath it like a cup holder and slide both across the bar table. **Unfriendly ears in the room. Sorry about your friends** was displayed on its screen.

Ezra nodded and picked up his cup, subtly picking the pad up with it. He took a drink while setting his the pad in his lab. Ezra glanced at his side to see Hera glancing at the pad. He tapped in a message to respond.

"So where are you headed to?" Jho asked, treating them all like regular customers.

"Felucia. There's a Nysillin shipment we need to pick up," Hera played along.

 **Do you know where they're being held?** typed Ezra as he finished his drink. Hera gave a slight nod before Ezra put the pad underneath his cup before sliding both back. Jho took the cup and the pad before slowly shaking his head. It was a slight disappointment but they were only starting.

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a special report. We go live to Alton Kastle," the newsfeed announced.

The smug annoying face of the Imperial propagandist appeared on the screen with the captions **BREAKING NEWS** flashing underneath him. "Authorities on Lothal have apprehended three of the terrorists responsible for the destruction of the Lothal Communications Tower," Kastle announced. Instantly Ezra's eyes widened as everyone else in the room turned their attention towards the broadcast. Pictures of Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine appeared on screen back to back.

"Kanan Jarrus, known smuggler and insurgent. Responsible for countless attacks on Lothal, Gorel, Kessel, and Gorse. Garazeb Orrelios, known war criminal who escaped capture on Lasat. Responsible for the massacre of multiple Imperial soldiers taken prisoner during the campaign for pacify his violent race. Sabine Wren, deserter and traitor who disappeared from the Imperial Academy of Mandalore. Responsible for the destruction of countless imperial property and murder of numerous military and civilian officials. By order of Grand Moff Tarkin, these three terrorists will face justice. They will be tried for their crimes in the Government Tower starting tomorrow morning," said Kastle.

Ezra almost leaped to his feet but thankfully he managed to mask his shock. Hera glanced at him with worried eyes while Second Sister's face was completely unreadable. You'd think she was watching paint drying on the wall.

"Thanks for the drink but we need to get back to our ship," Hera said, finishing her juma juice. She pulled out some credits, paying for their drinks before the three left. Heading back to the Ghost, they were silent until they were far enough away from any building or person.

Ezra was the first to speak. "They're going to be put on trial?!"

"A public trial. They never give any insurgents a public trial," Hera thought out loud.

"It's a trap. They're still looking for the two of you and this is the best way to draw you out," remarked Sister.

Hera shook her head, "It can't be that simple. They have to know we wouldn't be so reckless."

"But…" Ezra blurted out. He didn't finish his sentence as he knew they were right. Rescuing their friends there would be exactly what the Empire expected.

"You're right," sighed Ezra. Hera gave him a sympathetic look.

"Reckless should be the name of your little terrorist cell," quipped Sister. Ezra wasn't sure if the Inquisitor intentionally told a joke to make him feel a little better and though it wasn't the best joke, it made him slightly feel better.

"That should be the name of our product line. We'd make a fortune on Lothal," joked Ezra.

"Dead weight could have his own flush toy that says 'Karabas' every time you squeeze it," chuckled Sister. Zeb would be furious if he heard that and that thought made Ezra burst into laughter. Hera threw him a look and it surprised Ezra that she actually looked concerned.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked her.

"I'm fine. I'm just worried about the others," Hera replied. Ezra had known her long enough to know that she was lying.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Kanan repeated the same question he asked ever since a group of five Stormtroopers and the Grand Inquisitor were escorting him from his cell. They weren't going to answer him but he's been held out in isolation for the past few days so he felt like talking even if no one talked back.

Kanan knew he had been onboard a Star Destroyer but after shackling him, he had been led to the hangar bay and put onboard a shuttle. Eventually it landed and after disembarking, Kanan was put onto an Imperial Troop Transport and not allowed to now where he was going. So he decided to pass the time by talking and never stopping. He'd been tortured for the past few days so he jumped at the chance to irritate the Grand Inquisitor and a few Stormtroopers. But Kanan got bored of that and started singing a few pub songs.

"I used to work in Coruscant in a department store. I used to work in Coruscant but I don't anymore. A Stormtrooper came into the store one day and said the Empire was raising taxes on my wages. My fist in his teeth he got," sang Kanan.

"Shut up," sighed an annoyed Stormtrooper.

"But you didn't let me get to the time Grand Moff Tarkin came into the store dressed as a woman," Kanan mockingly complained.

"Sarcasm masking as fear. How amusing," the Grand Inquisitor chuckled. He was the only Imperial who didn't seem affected by Kanan's annoying singing.

"Actually it's masking my boredom. Are we there yet?" Kanan shrugged.

"Soon enough," smiled the Pau'an. He never once seemed frustrated during the past week torturing Kanan. Time to see if that'll hold.

"Are we there yet?" Kanan asked. No one answered him so he repeated, "Are we there yet?"

Several Stormtroopers groaned in annoyance. "Are we there yet?...Are we there yet?...Are we there yet?" Kanan smirked.

"Shut up!" a Stormtrooper shouted, raising his E-11 blaster rifle. The Grand Inquisitor suddenly raised his right hand and the trooper was hurled across the inside of the Troop Transport via the Force, crashing hard into the blast door.

"Control yourself trooper," the Grand Inquisitor said sternly. That was a bit extreme to do but maybe Kanan's nagging was starting to get him and the dark sider needed someone to take out his anger on.

"Y…yes…sir," the trooper groaned as he struggled back to his feet.

It wasn't long before the transport came to a halt and the blast door opened. Kanan was marched out to find himself inside of a parking lot filled with numerous military vehicles. The Grand Inquisitor took the lead with Kanan following escorted by five Stormtroopers surrounding him as they marched into a hallway. He saw no one but dozens of military stationed near every possible escape. The Imperials weren't taking any chances.

They entered a cargo elevator and went up in silence about twenty floors. The elevator doors opened into a long metallic hallway that Kanan and his escorts walked through. There were multiple doors on both sides but they passed by most of them. There were no door signs which made knowing where they led impossible to determine. The Grand Inquisitor stopped and opened a door before stepping inside. Kanan's Stormtrooper escort didn't give him a chance to catch up before they shoved him inside, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor.

"Kanan!" a familiar voice shouted. Kanan glanced up to see two faces he never expected to see. Sabine and Zeb were standing inside a circular platform with guardrails surrounding aside from a small opening. Both of them had their wrists shackled together but other than that, neither of them seemed any worse for wear. Kanan didn't doubt they were tortured but thankfully it didn't look like any permeant damage was inflicted.

"No delays," the Grand Inquisitor said. He lifted up his hand and Kanan suddenly felt his body lifted to his feet via the Force. The Pau'an then grabbed Kanan and shoved the Jedi through the opening and onto the platform. The instant Kanan was inside, the guardrails extended themselves to completely encircle the platform. An energy shield then slowly began to form, enveloping the entire platform and preventing any chance of escape.

"Enjoy the spectacle," the Grand Inquisitor smiled before turning and leaving the room.

"Are you two alright?" Kanan asked.

"The Imperials decided to use me as a shock toy but aside from my fur standing straight up, I'm fine," replied Zeb.

"They made me watch as they tortured you," sighed Sabine.

"Yeah well it'll take more than that to break us," Kanan tried to smile. He didn't need to ask whether the two of them had broken under torture. Sabine and Zeb were as tough as they come.

"I get the whole torture thing but what are they doing now?" wondered Zeb.

"Yeah…it's not like the Imperials to put three dangerous prisoners together in the same room," agreed Sabine.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Kanan nodded.

The door reopened as an old man in an Imperial uniform with a matching olive-gray cape. He had a snow-colored beard, brown eyes, and olive-colored skin. Putting on a pair of glasses, the man opened a folder in his hands and quickly skimmed through its contents. "Why do I get cases like these? You don't see Atticus ever taking them," he grumbled to himself.

"Who are you?" demanded Zeb.

"I am Lieutenant Commander Harmon Kowell. I've been assigned to assist you in all legal matters during the duration of your trial," the man introduced himself.

"Trial?!" all three of the rebels shouted in disbelief.

"Why are all my clients so confused whenever they hear that word?" Kowell muttered to himself.

"Maybe it's because the Empire doesn't give people a trial," Sabine snapped.

"Nonsense," Kowell shook his head. "I've been an arbiter for defendants since before all of you were born and my case load has only increased since the Empire was formed."

"And how many cases have you won?" asked Kanan, finding all of this absurd. It wasn't like the Empire was going to give them a fair trial.

"Many," Kowell defended himself.

"How many since the formation of the Empire?" inquired Zeb.

"…Uhhhh….none," admitted Kowell.

"I feel better already," Zeb grumbled.

"It's not my fault the Empire is incredibly thorough in its investigations," protested Kowell.

"Thorough? You call torturing people into confessions through?!" snapped Sabine.

"Where is all this hatred coming from? I'm trying to help you," sighed Kowell.

"I'm sure you're good at what you do but I think we'll defend ourselves," said Kanan.

"You don't get a choice in the matter. You're standing in an Isolation Platform. The force field surrounding you not only prevents you from escaping but a simple setting adjustment can also prevent sound from getting through. This will be active throughout your entire trial. Should you attempt to cause any scene during the trial proceedings, a third setting will activate and electrify the platform you are standing on," Kowell explained.

The three rebels all stared at the ground nervously. "Now I've gone over the prosecution's case and it's beyond solid. The only chance either one of you stands a chance is to make a full confession and agree to cooperate," Kowell continued.

"Why does that not surprise me?" muttered Zeb.

"Kriffing Bantha fodder we will!" cursed Sabine.

"I am trying to keep the three of you alive. Treason and terrorism are a capital offense punishable by death. You can't win this case and cooperating is the only way the prosecution will take the death penalty off the table," Kowell argued.

"Tell Grand Moff Tarkin he can take his offer and shove it," Kanan said.

"Governor Tarkin didn't make any offer," protested Kowell.

"Sure he didn't," Kanan scoffed.

"So run back to Tarkin like a good little lapdog and tell him our answer," Zeb ordered. Kowell sighed, shaking his head as he turned and left the room.

Zeb's confident facade quickly faded once the Imperial goon was gone. "We are in big trouble," he grumbled.

"Ya think?" replied Sabine.

* * *

Kanan wasn't sure how long the three of them waited inside their little circular prison but eventually a chime caught their attention. A few seconds later, a circular hatch in the ceiling above them opened as their platform began to levitate upwards. They ascended into a large room filled with numerous people on one half but what stood out was the raised desk (the Bench) on the far wall along with two desks (plaintiff and defendant desks), one of which was situated right next to the Isolation Platform. This was a courtroom and judging from the amount of people and cameras in the gallery, this was going to be quite the celebrity case.

"You know I actually thought that guy was kidding when he said we were going to have a trial," muttered Sabine.

Kowell, the rebels' advocate, entered the courtroom through a side entrance carrying a briefcase. He took a seat as the defendant desk then opened his briefcase, pulling out numerous papers that Kanan couldn't see good enough to tell what they were for.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," Zeb growled. He was looking at Velken entered via the same side entrance as Kowell. The major gave the rebels a smug smile as he took a seat at the plaintiff's desk. Now they know who the prosecutor was.

"All rise for the honorable Grand Moff Tarkin," the bailiff announced.

Everyone in the room rose to their feet as the Grand Moff entered the courtroom and took a seat at the Bench. Kanan wasn't surprised by this in the slightest. The Grand Inquisitor did say, "Enjoy the show." and he wasn't kidding because that's exactly what all of this trial would be. The verdict was already decided, now it was just a matter of the play being acted out.

"Why does this not surprise me?" sighed Sabine.

"What I don't get is why they are doing this at all?" wondered Kanan.

"What do you mean?" asked Zeb.

"Why bother going through all of this? We all know Imperial trials are a show but why put us through it? The Empire never puts insurgents and rebels on trial. That tends to turn them into martyrs," pointed out Kanan.

"Maybe they're trying to lure out the others," suggested Sabine.

Zeb shook his head. "They'd never do something as stupid as trying to rescue us," he said.

"Be seated," Tarkin said, his voice emitted through multiple speakers. The audience all took their seats while Kanan realized he and his friends were never given any seats. The Imperials probably did that out of sheer spite.

"As the defendants are charged with committing crimes against military targets, they will be tried according to military doctrine," Tarkin announced.

Hours passed as the Empire trotted out numerous different witnesses, all of them Imperial military officers. They recounted the different attacks conducted by the rebels, how much damage they caused, and how many causalities were inflicted. Minister Maketh Tua later took the stand and informed about the impact the rebels' attack have had on the economy. Taxes had been raised on the local citizens to make up for the damages and numerous jobs were shipped off world as they were considered too dangerous to be on Lothal. Kanan was starting to realize what was really going on. This was a nothing more than a giant smear job designed to turn the entire populace of Lothal against them. Kowell was all but useless despite asking a few tough questions. In the end, he never challenged any witness about the Empire's methods or horrible practices.

"The state calls Morad Sumar," Velken called his next witness.

"What?" gasped Zeb. Kanan and Sabine were just as shocked as she was as the farmer Ezra and Zeb saved from the Imperials entered the courtroom. Morad Sumar owned a farm that the Empire wanted to nationalize. When he refused, the Imperials arrested him and his family. Ezra and Zeb managed to rescue him during that time they stole a Tie Fighter.

The farmer took the stand as Velken rose to his feet. "Please state your name for the record," he said.

"Morad Sumar. My family owns a farm just on the outskirts of Kathol," Morad spoke.

"Owns? He doesn't own that farm anymore. The Empire took it from him by force," said a confused Zeb. His words were unheard as the Imperials had activated the mute setting on the Isolation Platform, blocking all sound from getting in or out of the force field. Speakers on the platform are what allowed them to hear what was going in the courtroom.

"Could you explain how you know the defendants?" Velken asked.

"The Empire wanted to nationalize my farm. Their price was quite reasonable and they were even willing to allow me to continue operating the farm under their employment," explained Morad.

"What?! That's a lie!" shouted Zeb.

"It was these insurgents…," Morad said, pointing to the three rebels. "…who demanded I refused their offers. They said anyone who doesn't aide their cause is a traitor and that they'd kill me if I took the Empire's offer."

"That is not what happened!" shouted a furious Zeb. He banged against the force field, accomplishing nothing as the field repelled all his blows.

"Zeb calm down. This isn't helping," Kanan tried to talk reason with him. Suddenly currents of electricity ran through the floor, running up through the bodies of all three rebels who all screamed in pain. It only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. When it was over, the three all collapsed for the floor in pain but still conscious.

"The defendants will refrain from another outburst or the penalty will be increased," Tarkin's voice echoed inside the Isolation Platform.

* * *

"I can't believe this! That backstabbing schutta!" Ezra shouted. He was watching the trial on the holochess board in the commons area with Hera, Sister, and Chopper. Morad was a friend of his parents and always seemed like a good person. And now he was spewing lies about the very people that helped him when the Empire arrested the farmer and his family.

"Ezra calm down," Hera urged him.

"But how could he do this?!" snapped Ezra.

"Maybe the Empire threatened his family," suggested Hera. She was handling this whole matter a lot better than Ezra was.

"Or they simply bribed him. Everyone has their price," remarked Sister.

Chopper chimed in with how didn't care what the reason was and agreed with Ezra that Morad was a schutta.

* * *

After Velken and Kowell finished their questions, Morad stepped down from the stand. He didn't even look at the three rebels as he made his way out of the room. Kanan knew the Imperials wouldn't play fair but even he wasn't expecting something like this. Zeb was livid and who could blame him? He was one of the people who actually saved Morad and his family when the Empire arrested them.

"The Empire must have gotten to him and put a blaster to his family's head," Sabine sighed.

"Maybe," growled Zeb, not so certain.

"The state calls Adira Udar," Velken called his next witness. That wasn't a name that Kanan recognized and nor he did recognize her face as a young human girl probably in her late teens walked up to the stand. She took a seat and her eyes instantly glared at the three rebels. If looks could kill, Kanan and his two friends would be dead.

"Miss Udar can you explain your connection to the defendants?" Velken asked.

"My father was a technician who worked at the Imperial Airfield in Kathol. Seven months ago, he was working a late shift when the outpost was bombed by her!" Adira shouted, pointing at Sabine.

"The distraction," Sabine muttered under her breath. Kanan knew what she was referring to. A few weeks before they discovered Ezra, the Ghost Crew was tipped off about a shipment of medical supplies. The plan was to steal the shipment and dispense it among the refugees in Tarkin Town. Getting the supplies was easy, the real problem was the nearby airfield filled with Tie Fighters. Sabine took on the task of disabling it by herself and managed to pull it off. The destruction of the airfield allowed the rebels to steal the supplies unopposed and distracted any Imperials in the immediate area.

"My father suffered severe third degree burns and spent the last hour of his life in intense pain. He never hurt anyone or stole anything, he wasn't even a part of the Imperial military. He was just a man who wanted to put food on the table for his family," Adira spoke, pain and anger mixed in with her tone.

* * *

Ezra quickly left after Morad stepped down from the stand. Hera couldn't blame him after witnessing such the betrayal of someone he thought was a friend of his parents. She didn't know if Morad did this because the Imperials threatened him and his family or he was bribed but it didn't really change anything. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb were being condemned now not just for things they actually did against the Empire but crimes they didn't commit. It didn't surprise Hera the Imperials would pull something like this.

The next witness was almost more unnerving. Adira Udar was the next of kin from a technician who died during a bombing conducted by Sabine. Hera knew that the Mandalorian recruit, while living up to the skills of her ancestors, didn't love violence and abhorred killing civilians. The man was probably killed by accident but that didn't change the fact that Adira didn't have a father anymore. Sabine showed no emotion on the holovid but Hera knew this had to be difficult to hear. Sometimes collateral damage is inevitable no matter how good your intentions are. It's a harsh reality Hera learned growing up on Ryloth.

Chopper soon decided he had seen enough as well and rolled off, leaving only Hera and Second Sister to watch the rest of the trial. Hera at first thought the Inquisitor was watching simply out of boredom but if that were true, she probably would have stopped watching before Ezra did. The Twi'lek Captain hadn't felt safe after her at all since she first came aboard and even though Sister was now helping them rescue the others, Hera still didn't trust her. It didn't help that Ezra refused to explain whatever was said between them back on Nar Shaddaa which obviously was what convinced Sister to remain.

After Tarkin dismissed the court for the day, the feed ended. Sister got to her feet and was about to leave. "Why are you really here?" Hera asked.

Sister turned her head. "Excuse me?"

Hera frowned, "You made it abundantly clear that you don't care about our cause or saving innocent people so why are you helping us now?"

"Maybe I didn't want all my training sessions with Kanan to be for nothing," suggested Sister.

"Or maybe you decided there was something you wanted from this ship," replied Hera.

"If I really wanted something from you people, I would have already taken it," Sister said.

"Not an it but a who," Hera spoke. That caught the former Inquisitor's attention judging from her silence. "Kanan always told me that Ezra has the potential to become a powerful Jedi. But now that's he gone, someone else could step into his shoes and mentor him only not on the path of a Jedi."

"Are you afraid I'm going to corrupt him?" mocked Sister.

"The thought did cross my mind," admitted Hera. "And I won't let you tarnish everything Kanan has taught him."

"Stop acting that you and Kanan taught him the ways of the Force out of nobility," spat Sister. "You took a kid off the streets and brought him on board your little terrorist cell, making him a target. And if that wasn't bad enough, now you've put delusions of Knighthood in his head. Using the Force and holding a laser sword puts an even bigger target on his back. He's only what? Fourteen? Fifteen? And thanks to you, he's not just on the top of the regular Imperials hit list but the Inquisitors' as well. If you people really did act in his best interests, you would have never let him on board this ship."

Sister didn't bother letting Hera get another word in before storming off. The Twi'lek sighed in frustration, trying not to let the Inquisitor's words sink in. True Kanan and Hera baited Ezra into discovering Kanan's holocron but ultimately it was his choice. Kanan never lied about how difficult the life of a Jedi was but Ezra still wanted to learn. He wanted to help others and being a Jedi was the best way to do that. Hera was now worried that without Kanan's guidance, that same desire will fade and a new one will replace it. If they couldn't rescue the others, Ezra might turn to someone else to fill Kanan's spot. Someone to help make him strong enough to protect those he cares about, regardless of whether it was the Jedi way or not. That person would be Second Sister.

What frightened Hera the most was she was starting to question whether that might be a suitable option at this point. She believed in the Jedi but Kanan was the only one left that she knew about. If anything happened to him, then maybe the rebellion would need something other than Jedi to help them succeed against the Empire.

* * *

Kanan didn't like how silent Sabine was as the three waited inside their prison platform. After the trail was concluded for the day, their pod descended back into the room below it where they've been waiting ever since. The Imperials were taking their time coming to get them and Kanan was starting to get worried that the bucket heads might just leave them here overnight. His wrists were starting to get a little sore from the restraints.

"They going to make us wait all night?" grumbled Zeb.

"Probably," muttered Kanan, his focus on Sabine. The Mandalorian was seated leaning against a railing, staring at the ground. She started acting like this when Adira Udar gave her testimony.

"Hey you okay?" Kanan asked her.

"Do you ever wonder if we're doing more harm than good?" Sabine whispered.

"Don't tell me you actually believed anything that kid said was legit?" scoffed Zeb.

"You think she was lying?" asked Kanan.

"Just like Morad," Zeb nodded with a growl.

"Then you'd be wrong animal," a voice spoke. The three glanced over the now open doorway where Major Velken was entering the room.

"Just what we needed," Zeb grumbled.

"I just wanted to inform you all about how quickly the planet is beginning to turn against you. Already the unrest and riots started in your names are gone and there has been a large sense of enthusiasm among the masses to witness your executions," smiled Velken.

"If you think a few staged witnesses are going to change people's opinions of the Empire on Lothal then there's a bridge on Alderaan I want to sell you," Kanan mocked.

"Their opinion of the Empire may not change but their opinions of you have. Senator Tua's testimony of job losses due to your actions was bad enough considering Lothal's current economy but add in Mister Samar and Miss Udar, they will never see you as heroes again," retorted Velken.

"What did you do to Morad? Did you threaten his family?" demanded Zeb.

"Threaten? Who do you think we are? Savages?" smirked Velken. "We found him at that village of vagabonds you call Tarkin Town. He and his family were homeless and unemployed, desperate for work. So the Empire made him an offer. Speak at this trial and regain the deed to his farm."

Zeb growled. If they weren't stuck behind a force field, the Lasat probably would have murdered the Imperial.

"It's frustrating isn't it? Knowing how quickly people will turn against you?" mocked Velken.

"You can bribe and threaten anyone you like but it's not going to change that people will never stop fighting you. Kill us and others will take our place," Kanan said firmly.

"Yes but they won't be Jedi will they. The only other one is your little brat Ezra Bridger. The Grand Inquisitor is planning on gutting the boy once he finds him but if you could be so kind as to inform me where Second Sister is, he'll go after her instead," retorted Velken.

"Go frag yourself and tell that ugly Pau'an to do the same," answered Kanan.

"Can't say I didn't give you a chance. Well I'm off to prepare for my next set of witnesses tomorrow. I wanted to thank all of you. Being your prosecutor has caught the eyes of several prominent officials on Coruscant. I've been told that the Imperial Ruling Council is even considering making me the next Moff of an available system," taunted Velken.

He turned to leave when Sabine asked, "Adira Udar. Was her father really killed?"

Velken spun around and replied, "Miss Udar was the one witness I didn't need to prep or coarse. She just wanted to confront the person responsible to murdering her father. Did you really think blowing up a base wouldn't inflict causalities? I'm assuming you don't count Stormtroopers but they aren't droids underneath those helmets. They are people with families and every time you shot down a Tie Fighter or blasted a trooper on patrol, you killed someone's father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter. And I plan to let every last one of them speak against you."

He turned and left, leaving the prisoners to contemplate his words.

(So don't expect Hera to trust Varra anytime soon. She does want the former Inquisitor's help but only because she's desperate. If they can't rescue Kanan then Ezra will enter a dark place and turn to Varra to fill in Kanan's shoes. I also wanted Varra's motives to helping the rebels to seem not so clear cut. Is she actually helping them or bidding her time to wait until Kanan is lost and sways Ezra under her influence? I also wanted all of the rebel's previous actions to come back to haunt them as the Empire either spins them to suit it's purpose or remind them of the people they've killed. As Velken said, it's not droids underneath those Storm trooper helmets. Hope you enjoyed and please review.)


	13. Chapter 13

Ezra was furious as he paced around the ship. Normally in these kinds of situations Kanan would tell him to try and meditate to calm his emotions. But Kanan was gone and Ezra could feel him slipping further and further away. Once the trail was over Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb would were either be executed or sent to an Imperial prison somewhere they'll never be found. They had to save them now but first they had to find out where they were being held and there might be somebody who could help with that.

Ezra was caught a little off-guard when he saw the door to Kanan's quarters open. He glanced inside to see Chopper with a slightly tilted frame. The droid rarely showed emotion with his irritated programming but this had to be the first time Ezra's ever seen him sad.

"Hey," Ezra spoke up to catch Chopper's attention. The droid turned and rolled up to him, resting his rotating dome on the human's chest.

"Hey it's okay. I miss them all too," Ezra said, understanding how he felt.

The droid admitted he missed them all as well…even Zeb.

"Yeah well first things first. We've got to know where the Empire is holding them and I've got a plan to do just that. Wanna help?" asked Ezra.

Chopper chimed in agreement.

"Hera's probably not going to like this so I need you to run a distraction while I take the Phantom," Ezra explained.

Chopper asked who will back him up.

"Don't worry. Second Sister will be all the backup I need," smiled Ezra. True he hadn't mentioned this plan to her but he suspects she'd jump at the chance at actually doing something instead of sitting around.

Chopper beeped in irritation. Like Hera, he wasn't a big fan of having the former Inquisitor around.

"Hey if she really wanted to do something to us, she would have done it already. She's here to help," protested Ezra.

Chopper groaned, not happy but relenting.

"Just do your part and hopefully I'll come back with some answers," Ezra told him.

Chopper rolled away while Ezra headed to Sister's quarters. He tapped the door twice, waiting for a response. "What is it?" Sister's voice called out.

"Got a minute?" asked Ezra. He got his answer when the door swung open. For once, Sister wasn't mediating inside the room but instead appeared to performing maintenance with her crescent shaped lightsaber. "I may have a way to find out where the others are being held but I'm going to need backup," he explained.

"I'm assuming Hera will be joining us?" inquired Sister.

"Actually she'll be guarding the ship," Ezra lied.

Sister frowned, "She doesn't know about this does she?"

"She…wouldn't approve," admitted Ezra.

Sister smiled, "Good."

* * *

Chopper caused absolute chaos on bridge, distracting Hera long enough for Ezra and Sister to board the Phantom and disembark. As Ezra's never flown any ship in his life, the Inquisitor was at the controls who adapted to the shuttle's controls quickly. Hera was certainly going to be livid once she realizes what's going on but Ezra was counting on getting the information before that happens. Sister probably could have cared less about how the Twi'lek Captain was going to feel. She actually found it funny that Ezra was going behind Hera's back on this.

"So who are you meeting?" asked Sister.

"He's a local crime boss named Vizago. He knows pretty much everything that happens on Lothal," answered Ezra.

"And how much are you going to pay him? Crime lords don't do anything for free," remarked Sister.

"Whatever credits I have won't be enough to interest him," Ezra admitted.

"So it's torture then. I could start by dismembering an appendage or two, that tends to work. What species is he? I need to know how many eyes and teeth I can work on in case he's stubborn," Sister suggested as if she was discussing her favorite recipe.

Ezra threw her a look. "We're not torturing anyone," he sighed.

"Then how do you expect to make him talk?" Sister demanded.

"Relax I've got a plan," Ezra assured her.

* * *

"You don't have a plan do you?" grumbled Sister as they approached the meet up point. It was a small cluster of spire-shaped rocks of various different sizes situated on an open grass field. A green Gozanti-class cruiser was parked nearby, probably to pick up illegal cargo that's been dropped off here by smugglers. Ezra had explained earlier that Vizago used this spot to meet with Ghost crew and often to pick up whatever merchandise he hired them to retrieve. They were just lucky he was already picking up a shipment here.

Sister landed a few meters away from the rock cluster and the two walked the rest of the way to find a pale green Devaronian supervising several worker droids in retrieving multiple cargo crates.

"Well this is unexpected," Vizago commented when he noticed the new arrivals. "Looking for work or something else?"

"My guess is you already know why we're here," remarked Ezra.

"I know why you're here but I'm not so certain why she's here," Vizago stated, referring to Sister and knowing exactly who she was. "You do realize there are still wanted posters with your face plastered in every major city on Lothal?"

"Never was much of a city girl and besides, I know you're not dumb enough to consider calling the authorities," quipped Sister.

Vizago smiled, amused. "You're right. I'm not planning on collecting any bounty on you. The Empire would probably throw me in prison if I tried to collect. Now if you're looking for help retrieving your friends, you'll have to look elsewhere. I'm sorry but I can't help you," he said.

"You must know something," Ezra accused.

"Even if I did, it would be of no use to you," replied Vizago. "The Empire is locking everything down. That's bad for you and bad for business."

"Well if you want to change that, you need to help us," said Ezra.

"I doubt that," sighed Vizago. "In fact I think your activities got the Empire's attention and have made things more difficult for me."

He waved them off and turned to leave. "Get out of here. You're bad luck."

"Ever wonder why the Empire was so interested in Kanan? Why they'd send an Inquisitor to Lothal?" Ezra called out to him.

"Well go on," said an interested Vizago, turning around. Ezra hesitated for a moment. The Devaronian didn't seem the type to be trusted though at this point it was almost irrelevant if he knew Kanan was a Jedi or not. It wasn't like he was going to go running to the Empire if he knew. The man was still a criminal.

"Because Kanan is a Jedi," Ezra finally spoke.

The Devaronian was silent for a moment then started chuckling which escalated into hysterical laughter. "Kanan? A Jedi? You're funny kid," laughed Vizago.

Ezra lifted up his hand as Vizago continued, "That scoundrel couldn't be a Jedi anymore then you could."

The boy closed his eyes focusing with the Force as a crate behind the Devaronian began to levitate into the air. Vizago's laughter vanished when he noticed the cargo crate floating upwards over his head.

"Kid what are you doing?" Sister demanded. Letting this guy know about Kanan was irrelevant as the Empire already had him but now Ezra just exposed himself. The boy dropped the crate beside the stunned crime lord.

"You? You are a Jedi?" gasped Vizago, starting to comprehend what he just saw.

"And so is Kanan," nodded Ezra.

"So what does this mean for Vizago?" the Devaronian pondered.

"It means you help me and you'll have a Jedi owing you a favor," Ezra explained.

Vizago considered that. "Whatever I ask?"

"Within reason," Ezra added.

Vizago frowned, "No deal."

He turned to leave when Ezra shouted, "Okay! Okay, whatever you ask."

Sister could have stepped in to intervene at this point but if Ezra was willing to go through with this, then he had to be the one to deal with the consequences of his own actions. Maybe this will turn out good for him or maybe it won't but the boy will have to handle the outcome regardless.

"All right. Come with me boy. Alone," Vizago ordered.

"So you can stun him from behind and use some third party to hand the kid over to the Empire for a quick bounty? Not a chance," spat Sister.

"I'm not planning on handing over anyone. Hera and Kanan's crew are the best smugglers in the sector and finding good help is so hard to find these days," Vizago assured her.

"Relax. I got this," Ezra promised.

Sister was not pleased. "Fine. Get yourself killed for all I care," she grumbled.

Ezra tried his best not to laugh at that. Second Sister trying to act like she didn't care was pretty funny to watch. If she really didn't care, she wouldn't have come back to the Ghost on Nar Shaddaa.

He followed Vizago onboard his ship and the two had a brief discussion. Vizago gave some intel regarding droid couriers. With the coms blackout caused by the destruction of the Lothal Communications Tower, the Empire was using astromech droids to transport information back and forth between their bases and the Star Destroyers in orbit. And since Grand Moff Tarkin has made the Imperial Command Center his temporary base of operations, the courier droids coming out of there will have a gold mine of classified information within their databanks. Including where Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb were being held. In exchange for this, Vizago wanted a favor that he would determine at a later date. Ezra didn't have much choice but to agree.

Ezra left the crime lord's ship to find the Ghost parked a short distance away from the Phantom. He groaned when he saw Sister standing next to a very unhappy Hera. They weren't really arguing as Hera was the one yelling while Sister didn't say anything nor did she seem to care. The Twi'lek Captain noticed Ezra's approach and he wasn't looking for the reaming he was in for.

"Ezra Bridger," Hera growled.

"Before you get angry, I may have a lead," Ezra tried to explain.

"For what you just bargained, you better have something more than just a lead," Hera hissed.

"Hera I know you're mad…" Ezra tried to say.

"Mad? Try furious," snapped Hera. "You just put all our lives in jeopardy the moment you revealed what you are to Vizago."

"But he's not going to go running to the Empire," protested Ezra.

"Doesn't mean he won't sell us out the moment he is backed into a corner. He never sold out Kanan before because he never thought Kanan was important and now he knows better. Same with you," explained an angry Hera.

She then turned her attention to Second Sister. "And I can't believe you actually went along with this!" Hera snapped.

Sister almost looked bored as she said, "Better than your plan of just staying on the ship and watching their executions from the HoloNet."

Hera looked like she was about to explode from the insult so Ezra quickly jumped in-between the two. "I may know where to find Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb are being held," he said.

"Maybe? All that for maybe?" snapped Hera.

"You told me the only way we'll try to rescue them is if we have a chance and in order to do that, we need to know more which is why I did this," Ezra said.

Hera calmed herself down before asking, "What did you learn?"

* * *

One would think that Imperial personnel would be thrilled at the additional reinforcements brought in by Governor Tarkin. But the extra hands only seemed to create more work for Sergeant Krem. He had to coordinate and manage even more troops under his command. Normally he only manages about six troopers, now he's in charge of thirty. Officially the command structure was in the process of being restructured. On the other hand, according to scuttlebutt, Grand Moff Tarkin was completely replacing most of the local highest rankings officers as he considered them to be lax and incompetent. So that stuck Krem dealing with the fallout.

As if handling even more assignments wasn't bad enough, now Krem was expected to even personally supervise menial tasks like escort duty. Sure the courier droid he and four others were escorting contained classified information but this was work for a private fresh out of the academy, not a decorated sergeant. He fought in the Battles of Galpos II and Mendavi and now was reduced to escorting a garbage heap on wheels.

Krem's unit was walking through the streets of Capital City and despite only having five troops for the assignment, it was relatively safe. The city was still under martial law due to the ongoing trial of the terrorists responsible for destroying the Communications Tower which is why these courier droids were necessary in the first place. Just for that, Krem hopes they get thrown into a Sarlac Pit. So even if someone was dumb enough to try and attack them, there would be reinforcements swarming in from all directions.

The troopers strolled down an alleyway with the astromech in the middle of their formation. Only a few more minutes and they'd reach the Imperial complex and this bucket of bolts was someone else's problems. A ping echoed inside of Krem's helmet as something small bounced off of it. He glanced around and another small object hit his helmet. If this was some kind of attack, it was certainly unorthodox. Krem finally located his attacker and it was some kid throwing what looked like pebbles at him.

"Go back to the Core Worlds you imperialistic scum!" the boy shouted before throwing another peddle. It bounced harmlessly off of the Sergeant's armor but that was the last straw. That Lothal scum would pay for that.

"Get him!" Krem ordered. The three nearest troopers rushed after the boy who quickly ran away like the coward he was. He took off around a building corner and the pursuing troopers vanished after him, leaving only the Sergeant and one other trooper guarding the droid.

"Kriffing locals," Krem cursed. He glanced around and noticed someone approaching from a darkened alley.

He raised his weapon and ordered, "Hold it right there."

"Lower your weapons," a voice spoke. Krem lowered his weapon, wondering why he raised it in the first place. Beside him, the other trooper did so as well.

A female Twi'lek and astromech droid rushed up to the confused soldiers. "You will order your courier droid to transfer all of its data to the astromech," the voice spoke again.

"Droid. Transfer all of your data to this astromech," ordered Krem. The courier droid beeped in confusion but did as it was told, opening an access slot on its frame.

The other astromech droid hooked into the courier and a few seconds later detached. A weapon attachment sprung out of the astromech's body and it shot the courier droid with a burst of electricity. The courier screeched as its circuits were fried and it collapsed to the ground.

"What the…" Krem started to say.

"The droid malfunctioned and fried its memory core in the process," the voice spoke.

"The droid malfunctioned and fried its memory core in the process," Krem realized. Stupid droids were always malfunctioning and now they were going to have to go get another one to transport the same classified information and repeat this whole trip again.

"Forget you saw us," the voice spoke.

Krem felt strange as he realized the three troopers who pursued the kid had returned. "What happened here sir?" one of them asked.

"Nothing. This rolling junk pile malfunctioned and lost all of its data. What about that little punk?" demanded Krem.

"He got away sir," reported a trooper.

"Get this droid back to base. We're going to need a new one, hopefully one that won't explode," Krem grumbled, not suspecting anything was amiss.

* * *

"I really need to learn how to that," Ezra commented as the four rebels met up in a nearby alleyway. While he provided a distraction to get rid of several troopers, Sister used a mind trick to compel the remaining escorts into allowing Hera and Chopper to take the courier droid's data before short circuiting it. Now they have classified information and the Empire doesn't suspect a thing. Ezra heard how Sister essentially mind controlled two Stormtroopers and was looking forward to that part of his Jedi training once they get Kanan back.

"Chopper. Any information on the others?" Hera asked.

The Chopper nodded and displayed a hologram of an Imperial Star Destroyer. He added a few electronic chimes, naming as the Sovereign. Grand Moff Tarkin's flagship.

"They're holding them there? You can forget about a rescue then," sighed Sister.

"Now hang on. We can sneak aboard…" protested Ezra.

"This isn't like walking into the local Imperial garrison. Getting onto Tarkin's personal Star Destroyer will require multiple security screenings, none of whom we will be able to get past without detection and that ship houses thousands of Imperial troopers. It's a suicide mission," Sister interrupted.

Chopper added that the majority of the ship's garrison had been deployed on Lothal to help maintain martial law. The Star Destroyer itself was less guarded then anywhere on the planet with the Imperials obviously thinking no one was stupid enough to attack it. That meant it was vulnerable.

"Maybe so but there's no way we'll be able to get onboard without being detected," Sister argued.

"We could steal a shuttle," suggested Ezra.

"Which will be reported stolen the second you take off with it. The Sovereign will destroy it before you can even get close and even if you did, they'd have hundreds if not a thousand troopers ready to repel any boarding party," replied Sister.

"Maybe not," Hera said, pondering something.

"What do you mean?" asked Ezra.

"Sabine had been working on something to use for a mission just like this. She was combining a cache of enhanced ion grenades that went detonated together could disable not just an entire ship but also temporary stun anyone caught in its wake," explained Hera.

"Does it even work?" frowned Sister.

"She never got around to testing it," shrugged Hera.

"That's encouraging," muttered Sister.

"If Sabine built it then it'll work. No one knows bombs better than her," Ezra said firmly.

"Well that's a wonderful plan you people came up with except for one minor detail. How are you going to get those bombs aboard that Star Destroyer?" demanded Sister.

"I don't know and like you said earlier, we can't just steal a ship," Hera sighed in agreement.

"What about one that's already been stolen…for a while?" asked Ezra.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" asked Sister.

"Remember that Tie Fighter me and Zeb stole a few months back?" Ezra asked Hera.

"You mean the one you told me you crashed?" the Twi'lek frowned.

"Well…we didn't. We kept it," Ezra laughed nervously.

Hera glared at him then smiled. "I should be angry but right now I'm just grateful we got it," she said.

"There is a slight problem with it," Ezra added.

"What kind of problem?" demanded Sister.

"Sabine decided it needed a makeover," Ezra answered.

Chopper groaned as his arms touched his head as if he was face palming.

"It'll have to do. If we can deploy it in front of the Sovereign's orbital path, they might take the bait and pull it in with a tractor beam. By the time they see it, it'll be too late. We load it with Sabine's ordinance and hopefully once it detonates, it'll disable the ship and a good portion of the crew. In the chaos, we should be able to get close with the Ghost and enter the airlock closest to the detention block. That is where Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb should be," Hera laid out the plan.

"That's a lot of ifs, shoulds, and hopefullies in this plan of yours," Sister pointed out.

"It's not perfect," conceded Hera. "But it's the only chance our friends have. The trial won't last much longer and once it's over, they'll either be immediately executed or sent to some Imperial prison and we'll never see them again. The Empire will be expecting us to try and rescue them while they are on the planet but not while they are on the Sovereign. We have to save them on that ship or not at all. I'm not going to order anyone on this mission but you need to decide now are you or out?"

Chopper groaned, irritated that Hera even had to ask him.

"I'm in," agreed Ezra.

All eyes turned to Second Sister waiting for her answer. "This is a stupid plan," she commented.

"You said the same thing about us escaping the city and we turned out okay," Ezra quipped.

"You had more people then and we were escaping a city, not boarding a Star Destroyer," Sister groaned.

"You said you wanted to help," Hera pointed out.

"Not on a suicide mission. You people want to get yourselves killed then you can do it without me," snapped Sister. She turned and stormed off.

"Hey wait a…" Ezra called out but the Inquisitor was already gone. He realized he shouldn't have been surprised by something like this. It wasn't like Sister was actually friends with Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb. They were just a means to an end. While Ezra felt he took a big step forward into changing that by convincing her to help them, she wasn't going to risk her life for them especially on a mission she didn't feel they could survive.

"Ezra we can't pull this off without her. We're already shorthanded as is," sighed Hera. Obviously she felt that if anyone was going to convince Second Sister, it was Ezra. The problem was he wasn't sure what he was going to say. Convincing her to help them was one thing but now he was going to need to convince her to risk her life on a mission with a very small chance of succeeding. Ezra was going to need one hell of a speech.

* * *

Second Sister returned to the Ghost and locked herself in her quarters. Those imbeciles were going to get themselves killed and for what? To embark on a rescue mission that would end with their deaths or standing next to their friends at the trial. Varra Kayne might have risked her life on such a mission but she was dead. The Initiate Program made sure of that. Sister wasn't going to die for nothing, especially a group of people she didn't even really care about. Kanan, Hera, Sabine, Zeb (or Dead Weight as Sister preferred), and Chopper meant nothing to her.

A knock on the door disturbed her train of thought. "Go away!" Sister snapped.

"Look can we just talk?" Ezra asked.

"You and Captain Death Wish already said enough," hissed Sister.

Ezra tried to open the door but Sister used the Force to forcibly close it. "I said go away!" she shouted.

"Ok ok!" Ezra called out. "Look I don't want to get into an argument with you. But if you wanna talk…"

"I won't," replied Sister. When she got no response, Sister was satisfied the kid took the hint and left.

What infuriated her the most was Ezra joining in the fray. He told Sister that grew up on the streets by himself and learned how to survive by himself. He should know better than sticking his neck out like this. Spending time with this rebel cell had dulled his survival instincts. Morad Sumar should have been the ultimate lesson that everyone was only out for themselves and that people will eventually either disappoint or betray you.

* * *

" _But Commander you have to do something," urged Captain Rex. He just came back from Master Krell trying to convince him to let Fives and Jesse go. But the Basilisk Jedi Master was determined to punish the two who destroyed an enemy supply ship against orders. Varra considered their actions heroic but her Master felt otherwise. He wanted an example made of the two and planned to court martial them for treason. Rex pleaded his case but that only made Krell decide to forego the court martial and ordered them executed immediately._

" _You think I haven't?!" Varra snapped. She just got back after speaking with her Master regarding his decision for executing the clones. Varra had argued with her Master before but this time the two shouted back and forth between each other. Krell ordered to leave and Varra nearly smashed a nearby set of terminals on her way out. She didn't understand what was going on. Pong Krell had always been strict and somewhat harsh but never like this._

" _Fives and Jesse will die if we don't something," pleaded Rex._

" _There's nothing I can do. Krell is my master and superior. I can't disobey him unless he does something that defies Republic law," sighed Varra._

" _Since is executing good men without due process Republic law!" snapped Rex._

" _According the Republic Judicial Code of Conduct, during battle military officers are permitted to carry out sentences for serious offenses. Technically Fives and Jesse committed treason as it is defined within the reg manuals," explained Varra._

" _Technically? Technically they saved our lives. This is wrong!" argued Rex._

" _I'm not disagreeing with you Captain. In fact I've never heard of any instances of a treason charge applied to a case like this but it's out of my hands. I don't have the authority to override his decisions and I can't go above his head to contact Master Kenobi with communications down," sighed Varra._

" _So we just stand by and watch them die?" Rex asked incredulously._

" _We don't a choice in the matter. We're still in a battle and we can't allow the entire battalion to start questioning their leadership at a time like this….You have your orders Captain. Carry out the sentence," Varra said. Saying those words had to be the hardest thing she's ever done._

 _Rex wanted to argue, it was clearly on his face. But he was still a soldier and good soldiers follow orders. Even the ones they didn't and probably shouldn't agree with. The Captain headed towards the brig with an empty look in his eyes, as if he just lost his soul._

* * *

 _Varra entered the control room on the Communications Tower. Her Master stood by the observation window, glancing down at the airfield below. As Varra approached, she couldn't help but feel different around him. She had been by Master Krell's side for almost two years. He had been her teacher, her mentor, an example of everything Varra wanted to become. Now he felt like a complete stranger to her as if a changeling had taken his place._

 _Varra glanced at the window, realizing her Master was watching the executions below. "Tell me Varra. How do you feel about this war?" Krell asked._

" _Feel?" Varra frowned, not understanding the question._

" _We've been fighting in this war for two years. In all the chaos and death, the war has taught me valuable lessons. It revealed the weakness of the Republic to handle such a large scale war. Had the Clones not been produced in secret on Kamino, the Separatists would have won this war in a day. It revealed the weakness of the Jedi for allowing events to unfold into where we are today. Had the Jedi Council had the strength and conviction to intervene in the Separatist Crisis early on, this whole war would have never happened in the first place. This war has proven that if the Republic and the Jedi are to survive, they must change and yet once this war is over, far too many politicians want things to go back to the way they were. They will never learn the lessons living and dying on a battlefield will teach you and neither will the Jedi Council. Yoda, Windu, all of them cling to the ways of the past even after they have been proven to be wrong," explained Krell._

" _What are you saying?" asked a confused Varra._

" _I'm saying you must learn to change to live in the present, not be concerned upon how things were in the so called glory days of the Republic. That time has passed and only by changing with the times can we survive what is to come. Apathy is death," Krell spoke. Apathy is death is something he's spoken of often. It had a simple meaning behind it. To grow complacent made you vulnerable but the way he spoke of it seemed different than just preparing to fight. What was he trying to teach her?_

 _Outside, Fives and Jesse stood up against a wall. A firing squad was lined up nearby with their weapons ready and aimed at the prisoners. Fives was yelling something but Varra couldn't tell what he was saying. Was he making a defiant last statement or plea for his life?_

 _The firing squad opened fire…and hit no one. Their shots impacted on the wall behind the prisoners, leaving scorch marks but left Fives and Jesse completely unharmed. All of the firing squad dropped their weapons, refusing to fire again._

 _Varra glanced beside her to see her Master's reaction but his face was devoid of any emotions but she knew deep down he was furious. Varra, on the other hand, didn't know how to feel about all of this. Sure she didn't want to see Fives and Jesse dead but she also didn't want an insurrection which was looking more and more likely by the second._

 _Rex and Dogma were summoned to the control room and the moment they arrived, to say the tension was palpable was an understatement. Krell was furious, so much so Varra could sense his emotions through the Force. The Besilisk Jedi Master had always been able to control his emotions before, or at least conceal how he truly felt. Now Krell wasn't even bothering to hide his emotions. He was furious and either wanted Varra to sense it or just didn't care._

" _I ordered those clones to be destroyed. You are making a mistake by crossing me clone," spat Krell._

" _It's Captain sir," Rex said defiantly._

 _Krell looked like he was ready to pull out his lightsaber and cut the Captain in half. Before Varra could speak to try and calm the situation, one of the technicians said, "General there's an incoming transmission."_

" _Put it through," Krell ordered, his anger subsided for the moment but Varra could still feel it clear as day._

 _A holographic image of a clone trooper appeared on the center table. "General, the Umbarans have stepped up their offensive. We're holding them off but their squadrons have ambushed one of our platoons seizing weapons and uniforms. We believe they may be planning to launch a massive attack," the clone reported before his transmission was cut._

 _Krell turned to Rex. "Looks like you have your stay of execution for now. Lock the traitors in the brig and prepare your platoons to move out immediately," the Jedi Master ordered._

 _Varra breathed a sigh of relief, glad the standoff between her Master and Rex had been forestalled. She wasn't under any delusions that this was over between them but they had more important things to worry about at the moment._

 _Varra, Dogma, and Rex joined Krell in the elevator, descending to the ground level. "We need to preempt the enemy by hitting them now with everything we've got. We're finally going to take the capital. And Captain, make sure the troops are aware that the enemy may disguise themselves as clones to try to trick us," Krell spoke._

" _I will sir," replied Rex._

" _I'll ready the tanks. They should be ready to march within the hour," Varra said as the four exited the elevator and stepped on the airfield._

" _That won't be necessary Varra. Captain Rex and his platoons will cut through the forest. It may be too dense for tanks to pass through but it's the shortest route to the capital. The tanks will remain behind as part of a defensive screen should the Umbarans slip by and attack our position," said Krell._

 _Varra was a little confused by the decision but kept her mouth shut. She wasn't going to question her Master's orders in front of the troops. "Captain you have your orders. Dismissed," ordered Krell. Rex saluted and walked away with Dogma._

" _Varra prep a shuttle to leave within the hour. Commandeer one of the Umbaran vessels if you have to," Krell said once the clones were out of earshot._

" _Shuttle? For what?" asked Varra._

" _I've received orders from the Jedi Council. A matter has come up, one that requires our immediate attention," Krell explained._

" _What kind of matter?" inquired Varra._

" _I don't know. They were vague on the details but they made it very clear that this mission was vital and that secrecy was of the utmost importance," Krell replied._

" _But what about the troops? Master we can't just abandon them during a battle," protested Varra._

" _I will explain the situation to Captain Rex before he leaves. In the meantime, don't tell anyone of your mission. In fact, I want you to prep that shuttle by yourself. Make sure no one sees you," Krell spoke._

 _Varra's eyes narrowed. Something felt incredibly off about all of this. Why did he want to hide the fact that they had orders from the Jedi Council? The clones understand more than anyone the importance of following orders. But maybe the Jedi Council had their reasons for such secrecy and it wasn't Varra's place to question them. "Yes master."_

* * *

" _Master I found an Umbaran shuttle in the far hangar. It's prepped and ready for departure," Varra reported to Krell in the Communications Tower control room. It took her longer then it normally would have to get the ship ready with all the secrecy but all flight checks were complete and the ship was space capable. They could leave anytime they needed to._

" _Good. We should leave immediately," said Krell._

 _Varra had serious misgivings about leaving her troops in the middle of a battle and it was clear that Krell could sense those feelings. "I know you're feeling like you're abandoning the clones but we have our orders. They'll be fine under Captain Rex's command," he assured her._

 _Master Krell was right. Captain Rex was a good officer and would be able to hold down the fort. The two headed towards the elevator when Varra noticed an electronic signal indicating someone was coming up. The elevator doors opened and immediately Captain Rex along with a dozen clone troopers rushed inside the room. Some had the blue armor of the 501_ _st_ _but others had yellow armor, indicating they were from another company._

" _Captain what are you…?" Varra asked before realizing all of the troopers were aiming their blasters at her and Krell._

" _General Krell, Commander Kayne, you've been relieved of duty," Rex stated._

 _Varra couldn't believe it. Rex was staging a coup. Was the clone trying to save the lives of Fives and Jesse by removing the Jedi from power until they could contact someone more sympathetic like General Kenobi?_

 _Varra drew her double-bladed lightsaber and ignited both ends, its blue energy beams glowing as she prepared for a fight. "Captain stand down," she ordered._

" _Drop your weapons and surrender," the Captain demanded, drawing his own dual blasters._

" _You're committing mutiny Captain," Krell spoke. Strangely enough he sounded amused._

" _Explain your actions," growled Rex._

" _My actions?" Krell asked, almost sarcastically._

" _For ordering your troops against one another," snapped Rex._

" _What are you talking about?" demanded Varra._

" _Krell sent us into the same coordinates as the 212_ _th_ _and they were told that the Umbarans had stolen clone armor just like we were told," explained Rex. No there had to a mistake. Master Krell wouldn't do that._

" _Master what are they talking about?" Varra asked, keeping her eyes on the clones._

 _To her surprise, Krell started chuckling. It was such a surprise to hear that Varra risked glancing behind her to see her Master laughing. "I thought my apprentice and I would have left by now before you figured it out. For a clone, you're not completely stupid," Krell mocked._

 _Varra couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did her own Master just admit to being a traitor? No this couldn't be real. It had to be some kind of nightmare. Yet as Varra looked at her master's eyes, she felt only malice emanating from him through the Force._

" _Surrender General you're outnumbered," Rex ordered._

 _Suddenly Krell thrusted all four of his hands, sending a powerful burst of telekinesis in every direction. All of the clones and Varra were lifted off their feet and thrown around the room. Varra bounced off a console, landing on her head. After that everything went quiet as her ears started ringing and her vision clouded. She could make out moving colors but as her sight slowly returned, Varra realized it was her Master's double-bladed lightsabers twirling around him as Krell cut his way through the troopers and jumped through the observation window, shattering the glass as he dropped to the airfield below._

 _Varra struggled to get to her feet when she turned her head to see Rex holding a blaster aimed directly for her head._

" _Lock her in the brig," ordered Rex._

(Yes I know. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb haven't been rescued yet but I promise next chapter we'll finally be getting to some action. Also I didn't feel like Second Sister would just go along with a plan she thought was suicide as she's not really close with the crew. Therefore, she has no real reason to go along with it unless another motive reveals itself (hint hint).


	14. Chapter 14

Ezra didn't bother watching the trial resume. It would just be the same propaganda rhetoric as before with all of Ezra's friends being evil and the Empire was the great and wonderful. Scrubbing the outer hull of the Ghost with a hand brush was more appealing than watching that. Instead he decided to try and continue his Jedi lessons that Kanan taught him. If they couldn't rescue him then Ezra wanted to at least honor him by continuing the path of a Jedi. He might fail but at least he'll try. And yeah he'll try. That whole do or do not mantra Kanan spoke of never did make any sense.

Ezra sat on the floor in his quarters that he shared with Zeb. He was trying to meditate by clearing his mind of all thoughts but he couldn't get the images of his friends out of his head. If they didn't do something, the three of them were going to die but he couldn't worry about that now. Right now he just needed to concentrate on clearing his mind and calming himself. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting around but that didn't matter. In order to properly meditate the way a Jedi would, one had to focus on a specific emotion or rather specifically the most important one felt. Then you allow that emotion to pass from your mind and let go, giving you a clear mind that can better connect to the Force.

It sounded a lot easier than it was. Ezra kept seeing the faces of his friends inside his head no matter how hard he tried to force them out. He's probably been trying to do this for hours and yet he's been getting nowhere. Then eventually a thought crossed his mind. What if the real problem wasn't that he was trying to get his friends out of his head but rather he needed to prepare to let his friends go? The whole idea of Jedi having no attachments might be what allows them to actually achieve this sense of enlightenment Kanan was always talking about.

Ezra was starting to realize he might never see his Master again or Sabine or Zeb. It was a thought he always put off, thinking it wouldn't happen. He had already lost so much after his parents were taken by the Empire that he refused to lose anyone else. But Ezra knew he had to face the fact that he could fail to get them back and needed to accept the fact that his life would go on without them. It was something he was forced to face when the day Imperial Stormtroopers burst into his family's house and took his parents. Ezra was spared, hiding in the hidden basement where Mom and Dad used to make their secret anti-Imperial broadcasts.

So Ezra knew deep down he needed to let go his fear of losing his friends. He would have gladly given his own life to spare theirs but that wasn't letting go of the fear of losing them. So Ezra told himself he would let them go and move with his life if anything happens to them. He would cherish his memories of them and try to honor them by continuing their work but he would move on.

" **Ezra move!" a voice shouted. Suddenly he was inside the hallway that resembled the inside of an Imperial starship. Ahead dozen of Stormtroopers rounded a corner and readied their blasters at him.**

 **Then he was suddenly inside a massive room with three large engines and multiple walkways of various levels spider webbing around them. He was glancing up on the walkway above him where Second Sister was clashing lightsabers with the Grand Inquisitor.**

 **Ezra then found himself inside a giant hangar with a large firefight between black armored Stormtroopers and Hera, Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine. The rebels were taking cover behind cargo crates while the Imperials attacked from the ground floor and using their jetpacks to attack from the air and second floor. All with the intention of trying to overwhelm their opponents. Nearby Second Sister clashed once again with the Grand Inquisitor, both of their lightsabers spinning around on their circular gryos settings. The Pau'an managed to batter away one of the Sister's attacks with one of his spinning blades and counter-attacked with the other. He lunged forward and stabbed Sister in the chest. She screamed in pain.**

Ezra's eyes shot open and he realized he was back in his room. Was that a dream or was it a vision? Ezra had been told how the Jedi were able to see things when they mediated, including premonitions of the future. He's never had one before but it didn't feel like a dream. It felt so real and the realization filled Ezra with hope. He saw them succeed. They rescued Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb. Or at least they were partially successful as they were inside of a hangar, probably about to escape. Though the last image he saw wasn't so inspiring. Sister had been stabbed by the Grand Inquisitor. He didn't see her die but that wasn't saying much. If this vision was true, the future didn't bode well for her.

Ezra now found himself in the worst kind of dilemma. He saw his friends getting saved but Sister probably dies in the attempt. What should he do? If he tells Sister about this, then it was doubtful she'd join in any rescue mission after that. But if Ezra didn't tell her and let this supposed future play out, she might die. It was one thing if Ezra was the one getting killed then he'd gladly make the sacrifice but sacrificing someone else was another matter entirely. True Second Sister technically wasn't his friend but he felt that maybe she was slowly starting to trust him. She didn't seem the type to trust easily so if Ezra managed to gain that, it would be quite the feat. Yet how could he be worth of such trust if he allows her to rush headlong into a situation that would probably kill her?

Ezra really wished Kanan was here right now to discuss this with. Unfortunately his choices of counsel were extremely limited at the moment. He could try talking to Hera but she never understood the Force and so she never wanted to really discuss it much. If Ezra had a question regarding it, Hera would just tell him to talk to Kanan. And could she reasonably give a good answer regarding all of this? Hera was as noble as anyone Ezra had met but would she be willing to do something reprehensible like lying to Sister and getting her onto a mission she'll die on to save the others? Ezra wasn't sure and quite frankly didn't want to put Hera in a position to answer that question. Neither one of them might like the answer.

His stomach growled, demanding nourishment. Ezra realized he must have spent more time meditating then he thought. He got to his feet and decided to get some food. Ezra passed through the commons area and pressed the open button to the galley. His skin almost turned pale when he saw who was already inside.

Second Sister was seated eating at the single table in the room. Judging from the smell, she was eating bantha stew. Not one of Ezra's favorite dishes but considering the former Inquisitor's room is essentially just a walk in closet without even a bed, comfort and leisure was something Sister tried to avoid. It was almost as if she was afraid getting comfortable would make her weak.

Ezra felt incredibly uncomfortable as he stepped inside. Half of him wanted to run away and the other half wanted to just scream out that Sister was going to die. Ezra didn't know what to say but he couldn't just stand in the doorway looking like an idiot. Trying to play cool, he stepped inside and grabbed some Dantooine oat cereal from one of the cupboards. He poured himself a bowl full of it then headed back towards the door with his lunch in hand.

"What is it?" asked Sister.

Ezra stopped, certain the Inquisitor used some kind of Force trick to know what he was thinking. Then he chastised himself for thinking that, knowing he would have sensed a mind probe. He tried to act natural as he turned and asked, "What's what?"

"Whatever you have to say," Sister replied.

"Who says I want to say anything? Didn't you notice I was just leaving?" Ezra pointed out.

"I never said you wanted to say it. I can feel the conflict emanating from within you. It's practically screaming through the Force," said Sister.

"You sound like Kanan," Ezra commented.

"Let's not go that far," muttered Sister. "If you're going to say something then just say it. I'm not planning on sticking around much longer if you and Captain Death Wish decide to commit suicide on that Star Destroyer."

Ezra knew he was at what Kanan would call a crossroads. Whatever happens now, whether or not the others were rescued and Sister lived depended upon his next words. Yet the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was only one choice. He couldn't sacrifice one friend to save three others. No matter how much he wanted to save them, he wouldn't do at the expense of another friend. Ezra wasn't completely certain whether Second Sister considered him a friend or not but he did feel that he was probably the closest thing she had to one.

Ezra took a deep breath as he sat down at the table opposite of Sister. "I had a vision," he sighed.

"What did you see?" asked Sister. She didn't seem surprised by this.

"I was on a ship, an Imperial ship. It must be the one where Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb are because I saw them with us trying to escape," explained Ezra.

"Then why are you so on edge? Shouldn't you be shouting this to everyone onboard?" inquired Sister. She didn't need more than a second to figure out. "What else did you see?"

"I…saw you fighting the Grand Inquisitor. He stabbed you in the chest," sighed Ezra.

"Did I die?" asked Sister, remarkably calm considering what she just heard.

"I don't know," Ezra admitted. The two of them sat in silence for maybe a minute but it felt like an hour. Sister said nothing and her face revealed nothing. Ezra didn't have a clue what she was thinking. He started to wonder if he made a mistake in saying anything. There's no way Sister would help them now and Ezra, Chopper, and Hera couldn't pull off a rescue by themselves.

"Why did you tell me that?" Sister whispered. "You had to know by telling me that, there's no way I'm going to help you rescue your friends now."

"Because you're also my friend," replied Ezra.

Sister's eyes widened in shock. For the first time since Ezra had met her, Second Sister was completely speechless. The former Inquisitor wasn't one to reveal her emotions or reveal any clues of her inner thoughts but it was written all over her face. She was completely stunned.

"Is this some kind of reverse psychology to try and get me to help you?!" Sister suddenly shouted, rising to her feet.

Ezra was caught off guard by her sudden hostility. "What? No!" he protested.

Sister didn't care what else he had to say, storming out of the room. That certainly didn't end the way Ezra was expecting. He didn't expect Sister to suddenly turn into a Jedi and help them but he also didn't expect such hostility. He sighed as he tried to tell himself he did the right thing. But Ezra couldn't help but feel guilty. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb's fates were sealed.

* * *

Sister stormed off the Ghost, putting as much distance as she could from the ship. She needed to be as far away from anyone as possible to get some air. Ezra was just manipulating her, he had to be. The Jedi Council, Pong Krell, Vader, the other Inquisitors, they all betrayed her one after another. Even Sister's own mother betrayed her, handing over her own infant daughter to the Jedi without putting up any resistance. Sister saw the report filed by the Jedi who brought her to the Temple. Mother gave her away on her first meeting with the Jedi representatives and without any kind of persuasion. No one ever really cared about her.

Sister felt so much emotion that it was difficult to describe exactly what she was feeling. She wanted to scream in fury, she wanted to cry, she wanted to take out her lightsaber to smash the nearby clusters of rocks, she wanted to run and hide then allow anyone else see her emotional state. Anger, sorrow, shock, fear, so many different emotions and yet the most shocking was feeling one emotion that she couldn't remember the last time she even felt it.

Hope. It was a word who's meaning Sister had almost forgotten. Not once did she ever feel like things could get better during her time as an Inquisitor. It was nothing more than a series of events filled with blood, screams, and pain. The other Inquisitors all gorged themselves on the suffering of others, lapping it up like Kath Hounds licking blood from a bowl. Sister used to be the same but now all she felt apathy and indifference towards others. She didn't care about anyone and no one cared about her.

Yet for the first time in so long, Sister actually felt moved to hear someone calling her a friend. She shouldn't want such emotional connections, they made her weak. Trust was always betrayed.

* * *

" _Let me out of here!" Varra screamed, banging on the energy shield utilized as a cell door. The brig was a cylinder shaped shaft with holding cells littering the circular wall like the holes one would see inside an insect hive. Most of them were filled with Umbaran military officers captured during the capture of the airbase. Yet there were now two prisoners who weren't Umbaran but members of the Republic Army who were locked away by their own allies._

 _Varra had been shackled with stasis cuffs and shoved into a cell, all the clone troopers refusing to speak to her save for one. Private Dogma had also been locked away as well apparently for not going along with Captain Rex's insurrection. To say that Varra was furious was an understatement. Her Master had run off into the nearby jungle leaving her to fend for herself, the clones had arrested her for no reason, and everything had turned into anarchy. The inmates of the prison were able to speak to each other if they yelled loud enough and Varra was informed by Dogma that Rex's account of the two clone armies engaging each other was accurate though he disagreed with what the rest of his fellow clones were doing._

 _What Varra didn't understand was how all of this could have happened. Master Krell couldn't have done something so incompetent as to put two Clone Battalions into the same area with information that Umbarans were using clone trooper armor. Varra would have attributed it to maybe misinformation on the clone's part at least until she saw her Master's laughter when confronted. The Jedi Master was emanating anger and hatred through the Force, something Krell had never done before in all the years Varra had known him. What was going on?_

" _Captain Rex! Sergeant Appo!" Varra screamed, trying to make enough ruckus to hopefully get someone's attention. She's been at it for hours with no success but she also wasn't going to give up. There was nothing else she could do. Normally in a situation like this, Varra would sit down and mediate to purge herself of all emotions. It would calm her down, strengthen her mental focus to use the Force, and also help pass the time. But Varra found she couldn't do it. Not with all that's happened. Was her Master a traitor? She needed answers and she needed them now._

 _Varra had no idea how long she'd been shouting before a group of figures entered the building. She had trouble getting a good look at them but she knew it was more than one person. They stepped onto a force field stationed on the top floor that was utilized as an elevator. The force field spun as it descended down the shaft and Varra could finally make out its passengers._

 _At least seven clones stood guard as six clones were holding an unconscious Pong Krell, dragging the Besalisk by his four shackled arms. The elevator came to a halt on the same level as Varra. One of the clones tapped a button on one of the levitating terminals, opening the empty cell between Varra and Dogma. The clones hauled the Jedi Master inside and dumped him on the floor. They quickly exited and activated the force field, not wanting to be around him any longer then they have to. Varra sensed it had more to do with their fear of him then their hatred._

" _Where is Captain Rex? I want to speak to him now!" Varra shouted at the clones but they ignored her as the elevator ascended back up the shaft. Varra had no choice but to wait either until the clones return or Master Krell awakens. An impatient Varra paced back and forth in her cell, her frustration growing by the second. The clones imprisoning her without cause infuriated her which was only amplified by her Master's sudden strange and violent behavior. The waiting was killing her and her Jedi lessons of patience and peace were all but forgotten._

 _Krell moaned as he began to stir. Finally some answers. Varra watched as the Besalisk slowly began to regain consciousness. "Master what is going on?" she demanded._

 _The Jedi Master…or maybe that was the wrong word as Varra could feel the anger emanating from him just like in control room of the Communications Tower. Pong Krell no longer felt like a Jedi Master or even a Jedi at all. "Blasted clones," Krell cursed as he sat up._

" _What is going on here Master?" Varra called out._

 _Krell threw her an annoyed look. "You haven't figured out yet? I can't believe I once saw potential in you," he scoffed._

" _What are you talking about?" Varra shouted, slamming her fists against her cell._

 _The elevator above them began to spiral downwards. Varra glanced up to see Captain Rex, Fives, Tup, and Jesse descending to their level._

 _Rex glanced at Dogma before approaching Master Krell. "Why General? Why kill your own men?" he demanded._

 _Krell chuckled as he rose to his feet. "Because I can, because you fell for it, because your inferior," he mocked._

" _But you're a Jedi. How could you?" Rex protested._

" _A Jedi?" laughed Krell. "I am no longer naïve enough to be a Jedi. A new power is rising. I've foreseen it. The Jedi are going to lose this war and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside. In its place is going to rise a new order and I will rule as part of it."_

" _You're a Separatist," spat Rex._

" _I serve no one's side, only my own and soon my new master," shrugged Krell._

" _You're talking about Dooku aren't you? You're a Sith!" shouted a furious Varra._

" _Not yet but when I get out of here, I will be. After I've succeeded in driving the Republic from Umbara, the Count will reward me for my actions and make me his new apprentice," smiled Krell._

" _That's why you had me ready that ship in secret. You wanted the 501_ _st_ _and 212_ _th_ _to slaughter each other while you escaped on that shuttle. And what exactly was your plan after that? Fly to Umbaran controlled territory or Separatist space and surrender yourself? Did you really think I'd just go along with that?" Varra accused._

" _You were always so trusting Varra, you'd do whatever I asked. It's why you are weak and there is no room for weakness in what is to come. Once I have gained an audience with Count Dooku, I would have proven my loyalty by cutting you in half," Krell said proudly._

 _Varra felt like she had just been stabbed in the chest. It was the ultimate act of betrayal to murder someone who trusted you like a Father and something only a Sith was truly capable of. Such an action would prove his commitment to the dark side as there is no greater evil then to kill someone for your own personal gain._

" _I trusted you, believed in you. I did everything you've ever asked and you were going to lead me like a nerf to the slaughter!" yelled Varra, wanting more than anything to rip through her cell and throttle her Master's neck with her bare hands. Correction, he wasn't her Master._

 _Krell laughed, "That is the way of the universe. The strong take from the weak."_

 _Dogma yelled something to the Besalisk but Varra wasn't paying attention. Her eyes and concentration were firmly fixed on Krell. She didn't just want to hurt him, she wanted him dead. Varra could feel her anger growing, her connection to the Force growing but not in the way the Jedi strengthen it. They calm themselves whereas Varra was the exact opposite. Her raw emotions were feeding her power in the Force as she allowed herself to experience the dark side for the very first time. It felt nothing like her old mediations and yet she couldn't deny how much stronger she felt._

 _Rex and the clones ascended back up the shaft and left the building, leaving Dogma and Varra fuming while Krell was seated with a proud smirk on his face. He probably thought he would escape and getaway with all of this. It only made Varra want to kill him even more._

 _A few minutes later, Rex and the clones returned. The shields in front of Varra and Dogma's cells were deactivated. Fives grabbed Dogma out of his cell while Varra was escorted out by Jesse. "What's going on?" demanded Varra._

" _General Kenobi has taken the capital city but the remaining Umbaran forces are heading this way. Most of the airbases automated defenses have been sabotaged so we're going to need every possible soldier on the perimeter," explained Rex. They must be desperate if they were freeing Dogma and Varra to join the battle._

" _What about him?" Varra asked, referring to Krell._

 _Rex simply pulled out his pistol and approached the Besalisk's cell. "Turn around and step toward the wall," he ordered._

 _Krell's smirk faded as he did as he was told. "On your knees," Rex added._

 _Varra couldn't believe what was seeing. Rex was going to execute her Master. Killing an unarmed prisoner was a capital crime under Republic law but the clone captain had to know that. Either he was killing the former Jedi to prevent him from being taken by the Umbarans or he was getting revenge for the death of his clone brothers. As far as Varra was concerned, she didn't really care why just as long as he was dead._

 _Krell's cell deactivated as Rex aimed his blaster directly as the Besalisk's head. "You're in a position of power now. How does it feel?" Krell mocked._

" _I said on your knees," hissed Rex._

 _Krell lowered himself onto his knees then said, "It feels good doesn't it? But I can sense your fear. You're shaking aren't you?"_

 _Varra glared at Rex, irritated that he was stalling. "What are you waiting for? The Umbarans are getting closer," continued Krell._

" _I have to do this," Rex said, as if to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. That's when Varra realized that her double-bladed lightsaber was hooked on the Captain's belt. She wasn't sure why he was carrying it but it gave her an opportunity._

" _You can't do it can you?" mocked Krell. That was the last straw for Varra. If Rex couldn't do it then she would._

" _Eventually you'll have to do the right thing and…" Krell continued._

 _Varra shoved Jesse away and throw out her hands, summoning her lightsaber to her. Everyone was caught completely off guard as she ignited a single energy blade and slash apart her restraints. She then leaped in the air towards Krell's open cell. A voice in the back of her mind screamed at her to stop, that this wasn't the Jedi way. Varra ignored it as she passed over a stunned Rex and aimed her blade directly at Krell's heart as she descended._

* * *

A slight tingle emanated from Sister's left finger. She hadn't been clenching her fist so it couldn't have been caused by a lack of blood flow. An examination revealed it wasn't discolored either. That meant only one thing and it was the worst possible answer. The Sclophamin levels were starting to build up enough in her blood to cause the first symptoms of toxicity. Soon the numbness would spread to the rest of her body then weakness in the muscles followed by difficulty breathing and finally death. Time was running out.

Preserving her life didn't mean much anymore especially since she was as good as dead but yet Ezra did give her a glimmer of hope. He saw a vision of Sister battling the Grand Inquisitor. The two of them have unfinished business and this might be the last chance for revenge. Sure she was stabbed in the end but as the old Jedi saying goes: **The future is always in motion.** All Sister needed to know was if there was just a chance of getting close to her adversary and that was good enough for her.

* * *

Ezra was lying on his bunk bed, feeling completely stupid and useless. He had actually made things worse by revealing his vision to Sister even though he felt it was the right thing to do. Kanan would have been proud of him though, it may not have been the convenient thing to do but it was what a Jedi would do. Still it didn't make him feel any better.

A knock disturbed his misery. "Yeah?" he called out.

The door opened as Sister stepped inside, probably going to say goodbye. She made it clear she wasn't going to help save the others now so there wasn't any other reason to be here.

"Let's go kid. We've got a lot of planning to do," Sister said.

Ezra frowned, "Planning?"

"Well your friends aren't going to save themselves and storming that Star Destroyer is going to take precise planning so get moving," Sister replied before heading back outside.

Ezra couldn't believe it. She changed her mind, she actually changed her mind. Ezra jumped off his bunk and quickly rushed outside to join up with Sister.

"What changed your mind?" he asked.

"You said I'll face the Grand Inquisitor and we have some unfinished business. This could be my last chance for revenge," Sister answered.

"But...I saw you die," Ezra said, worried.

"The future is never certain. If there's a chance I can face that wretched Pau'an then that's good enough for me," Sister explained.

"And Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb?" Ezra asked, wondering where they were on her priorities.

"Something tells me if we free them, the Grand Inquisitor will come to us," Sister replied.

"You know you're not as evil as you pretend to be," smiled Ezra.

"The crew on that Star Destroyer won't agree with you once we get onboard," quipped Sister.

* * *

 _The lightsaber shook in Varra's hands as it dawned on her what she just did. Her Master's corpse was lying on the floor with a large cauterized hole on his back still emitting smoke. Varra wanted him dead so badly that it was all she could think about and yet now all she felt remorse and cold. Varra had been taught since she was a toddler about the dangers of the Dark Side and to resist it. Yet all of those lessons and resistance collapsed in the face of her Master's betrayal and the darkness was intoxicating at first but now it only left her cold. This wasn't who she was. She wasn't a murderer, she didn't gun down an unarmed prisoner in cold blood. She was a Jedi or at least wanted to become one. They didn't do something like this._

" _Commander," a voice spoke. Varra snapped out of her shock as she turned and realized Rex was standing next to her. He wasn't angry but slightly stunned._

" _I…" Varra tried to say but couldn't find the words to speak._

" _You did the right thing. Had he escaped, he would have defected to the Separatists and handed over all our intel. There's no telling how much damage he could have inflicted on the Republic if he lived," Rex said, trying to justify her actions. If it was so right then why didn't Rex just shoot Krell himself?_

 _The whole building shook, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. "Captain Rex! The Umbarans are attacking the Northern perimeter. We need reinforcements!" Sergeant Appo's voice shouted through the com._

" _Hold on Sergeant. Help is on the way. All squads converge on the Northern perimeter," Rex spoke in his wrist com._

 _The Captain turned his attention back to Varra. "Commander I need everyone capable of holding a weapon on the front line. I'm sorry things turned out the way they did. We should have trusted you but right now we need your help," he said._

 _That explained why Rex was carrying her lightsaber. He was going to give it back to her once he dealt with Master Krell.  
_

 _The building shook again. The imprisoned Umbarans started shouting from their cells, shouting with excitement that soon they would be free._

 _Varra glanced at the nervous shaking in her hands, clenching them shut to make them stop. She needed to focus and restore balance. Taking a deep breath, Varra nodded her head. "Let's go."_

(Okay I know there's no action this chapter and I'm sorry for that. Originally this was going to be longer but I felt that it should focus more on Varra and Ezra. You might notice I left her real motives ambiguous and that's because Varra was lying to herself about them. She doesn't want to admit there's another reason for her to go on a possible suicide mission other then revenge.)


	15. Chapter 15

Velken enter the Sovereign's bridge dressed in full Darkstar armor. Anytime they were on duty, the Darkstars were dressed for combat. The idea was that at any time, a battle could take place and their unit would always be ready for it. As the Darkstar CO, Velken had to lead by example. He couldn't help but chuckle as most of the bridge officers stared at him. Most of them had never seen combat and if they had, it was done via ship to ship. They've never fought against an enemy hand to hand with nothing but your own training and experience keeping you alive. They've never fought in trenches with bombs bursting overhead. The Darkstars never recruited people who fought battles sitting in a chair.

Risar Velken was originally a Judicial before the Clone Wars. They were the non-Jedi peace officers for the Galactic Republic. Most of the higher echelons of the Republic Fleet and later the Empire had graduated from their academy including Wilhuff Tarkin himself. Velken's hatred towards non-humans began there after noticing the severe lack of alien cadets. It was humans who volunteered to protect the Republic while the aliens were happy to reap the benefits but do nothing to protect it. Velken was one of the first non-clone cadets to graduate as an ARC trooper. He fought on the front lines on Felucia, Cato Nemoidia, and many others.

The one mission that got him recognition among the brass was his mission to Mygeeto. He was fighting alongside Jedi Master Ki-Ai-Mundi when he was given Order 66 by Chancellor Palpatine. Velken heard how the clones had chips inside their heads to keep them loyal but he didn't need a microchip to be a patriot. He never questioned the order and the platoon waited patiently until the heat of battle before turning their guns on the Jedi. The old Cerean Master never saw it coming. Velken always hated the Jedi. Arrogant cloak wearing shamans who always spouted on about wise and righteous they were. They always looked down on the Judicals as if they were inferior but when war broke out, the Jedi should have stepped aside and let the real soldiers lead the fight. But not wanting to lose their grip of power in the Republic, the Jedi were given command of the war effort. They later tried to assassinate the Chancellor after he'd been stripping them of their military powers and they were appropriately wiped out.

"You summoned me Governor?" Velken spoke, standing at attention to Grand Moff Tarkin who was overseeing the bridge on the raised walkway that cut through the middle of the room. Standing to the Governor was Commander Abel LaSal, the Sovereign's XO. He was just as unremarkable as most of the bridge officers. Someone who's never even seen combat.

"I trust your case will be wrapped up by tomorrow? Having all these witnesses speak about the loss of their relatives is becoming redundant," Tarkin inquired.

"I'll conclude my list by tomorrow. After that, it's just a matter of allowing Lt. Commander Kowell to waste your time," answered Velken.

"This is no waste of time. There are more eyes watching this case then just those on Lothal. Make no mistake this trial will enlighten most of the Outer Rim the horrors of rebellion and it's price. This isn't just about executing those traitors but destroying the spirits of those who fight for their cause," Tarkin remarked.

"They will be after the executions," agreed Velken.

"Make sure they are quick and painless. The Empire must be seen as better then these terrorists," Tarkin added. The Grand Moff wanting grant a small act of mercy? That would be a first but his reasoning was sound.

"It's going to be a long day Major, I suggest you get some rest," Tarkin suggested. He turned to Commander LaSal and said, "You have the con."

"Yes sir," replied LaSal as Tarkin headed towards the exit. When someone like Tarkin 'suggests' something, it isn't a suggestion. Only the Emperor or Imperial Ruling Council could ignore the Grand Moff's words but no one else. Lord Vader might be able to but Velken had no idea where that man was in the hierarchy of the Empire. Then again he wasn't sure if Vader was even human at all. So when Tarkin says to get some rest, you get some bunk time.

Velken was about to leave before a rapid beeping sound emanated from the navigation console.

"Commander I'm detecting a small craft directly in our path," the navigational officer reported.

LaSal turned to face him and asked, "Can you identify it?"

"Yes. It appears to be a TIE/LN fighter. I'm not detecting any lifeforms onboard, it must be a derelict," the officer replied.

"How did it get there?" Velken asked, thinking out loud.

"Are there any other patrols in the area?" LaSal asked.

"Negative sir," the navigational officer answer.

"Coms contact Lothal Command and get an inventory report of all Ties in the system," ordered LaSal.

* * *

"The Star Destroyer's moving closer. Let's hope they take the bait," Hera whispered. The Ghost was floating in orbit with main power offline to avoid being detected. That included Chopper as well and though the droid was angry, he shut down after Hera promised to turn him back on the instant they get to the Star Destroyer. Ezra didn't need a connection to the Force to feel the tension in the room. The entire rescue mission was incredibly risky, almost suicidal. All it took was one thing to go wrong and they would all end up dead or rioting away in an Imperial prison. Sister's sudden change of mind took everyone by surprise, Ezra included. He liked to think it was because he convinced her that he was her friend but Ezra had no idea he real reasons. She claimed it was vengeance against the Grand Inquisitor but who knows if she was actually telling the truth.

Second Sister had changed back into her Inquisitor armor with a few noticeable patches. The crew of the Ghost had limited resources so they could only repair armor to an extent but at least it was better than nothing. Hera and Ezra didn't have any armor at all which is why Sister gets the honor of taking point. Surprisingly, she didn't argue. It was as if whatever doubts or fears she had about this mission had disappeared. Either Sister was truly confident about beating the Grand Inquisitor or she accepted that she wasn't coming out of this alive.

"Thanks for doing this," Ezra whispered to her. They were both seated in the back, allowing him to whisper to her without the others hearing.

"I'm not doing this for you," Sister remarked.

"Yeah well thanks anyway," Ezra replied.

"Don't thank me for anything. There's a good chance none of us are getting off that ship alive," snorted Sister.

"Hey if you're worried about my vision coming true…," Ezra said.

"I decide my own destiny," interrupted Sister. She clearly didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it further so Ezra decided to drop it.

* * *

"Sir there's been no reports of any stolen Imperial craft in the Lothal system. Either it's from another system or it was stolen months ago," reported the Coms officer.

"Probably stolen by brigands to dismantle for parts then abandoned whenever they were done with it," concluded LaSal.

"So they just kept it in storage for months before taking it apart Commander?" frowned Velken.

LaSal threw him an annoyed look. "Tactical prep a tractor beam and drag it into the hangar bay. I want a forensics team to analyze it," he ordered.

"Understood sir. Locking on…" replied the tactical officer. "Lock achieved. Field established and stable. Diverting the craft to Bay 5."

Technically Velken didn't need to stay on the bridge to see this through. He should just go back to his quarters and get some rest but he was curious to find out what was going on.

* * *

"They bought it!" Hera nearly shouted with excitement. Unlike everyone else, she was using binoculars to glance through the view screen to see what was going on. With main power down, that meant sensors were down so they had to use their eyes to know if the plan was working.

Ezra rushed up to the front to see the Star Destroyer getting closer and closer. They needed to wait until the Tie was inside the massive vessel's hangar bay before detonating it. If the Imperials suspected anything was amiss, they'd destroy the fighter from a distance and also destroy any chance of rescuing the others.

"Almost there…" said Hera whispered. Ezra held his breath. "…almost…NOW!"

Hera pressed the detonator button and within moments, the lights on the Sovereign all went dark.

* * *

Velken staggered, trying to stay on his feet along with everyone else as the entire bridge was rocked by some kind of explosion. Lights and consoles flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness before the emergency lights turned on.

"Report!" shouted LaSal.

"We've lost main power. Some kind of pulse detonation in Bay 5," reported the tactical officer.

"Go to auxiliary power," ordered LaSal.

* * *

"Their power is down," reported Hera. She quickly turned the main engine back online as Ezra turned on Chopper. The lights and console lite up as power was restored to the ship.

"Remember dock at Port Two-Two-Three R. It's the closet airlock to the detention block," Sister reminded them.

"Strap in Ezra. We're going on," ordered Hera.

* * *

It wasn't long before the bridge doors were forced open by security personal and Tarkin stormed inside. He got a quick summary of the situation and took command. The Sovereign was down to emergency and life support power only.

"If main power is offline then so is our all clear signal. The Iron Victory and the Enforcer will be here shortly," Tarkin said.

"It's the rebels. They must be onboard," surmised Velken.

"They're going to board a Star Destroyer? That's insane," protested LaSal.

"I underestimated these rebels. I never expected them to be this reckless," Tarkin spoke. "And now they will pay for it. Is internal coms still available?"

"No sir. It was disabled like the rest of the systems," reported LaSal.

Tarkin turned to Velken and said, "Major assemble your team and get down to the detention block. That is where the rebels will be heading. Should you beat them there, I want you to terminate the prisoners. We cannot allow anyone to escape."

"Yes sir," Velken saluted then put on his black helmet.

* * *

"Keep the Engine running Chopper. Hopefully we'll be back soon," Hera told the droid as she joined Sister and Ezra at the airlock. The droid saluted her with his arms and rolled back inside the ship.

Ezra felt incredibly nervous as the doors opened to the interior of a Star Destroyer. He's been on missions before but none as dangerous or as important as this one. Also he always had Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb backing him up in situations like these. He knew in his vision that he managed to rescue them but whether they got away or not wasn't so certain. Sister's comments about making her own destiny also made him question if maybe such visions weren't perfect and could be changed. Ezra wanted only one thing to change that he saw and that was the ending.

Sister went first, her lightsaber drawn and decked in full armor. Her face mask was closed, making her look as terrifying as the Grand Inquisitor. Had she not been injured when Ezra first met her, he doubted he would have said two words to her. But she had been injured and now here they were. If the Force has a will, it certainly had a strange sense of humor.

Sister, Ezra, and Hera passed through the airlock and entered a hallway. To their relief, main power seemed to be out and every trooper in sight were unconscious. Sabine's stun grenade cluster worked like a charm.

"How long do you think they'll stay out?" asked Ezra.

Sister summoned one of the unconscious trooper's baster to her hand and fired a series of shots that hit every Stormtrooper in the skull, instantly killing them all. "Now we won't have to find out," Sister said to a stunned Ezra and Hera.

* * *

Sister knew the others didn't approve of her methods but she didn't much care. Had those troopers regained remained alive, they could have caused trouble on their way back to the airlock. How in the galaxy did these rebels manage to survive this long if they didn't take out threats while they could. Taking the high road was easy for the Jedi because they'd have the backing of the Republic and they were ten thousand strong. Now they were just a memory. Kanan and Ezra weren't Jedi, just poor imitations of them and Sister considered that to be a good thing.

Chopper's digitized grunts emitted from Hera's com, warning that two Star Destroyers were approaching the Sovereign and were launching multiple shuttles. No doubt they contained multiple squads of Stormtroopers to protect Grand Moff Tarkin and kill any intruder onboard. That sure was fast but then again, this is Tarkin's flagship. "We're going to have a lot of incoming very shortly," Hera said.

"Then let's go," said Ezra, quickly rushing ahead of everyone else. Using sketches Sister made of the Star Destroyer schematics, all three of the team knew the route to get from the airlock to the detention block.

"Ezra slow down," Hera called out to him while Sister rolled her eyes. The two were forced to move faster to catch up with him. Ezra sometimes acted too much like a Jedi Padawan. Rushing into matters head first without thinking or in this case running too fast. Just because most of the Imperials they've entered so far were unconscious didn't mean that everyone on the entire ship was. They needed to be cautious.

Sister's concerns proved correct as she could sense something up ahead. "Ezra move!" she shouted.

Up ahead, a dozen Stormtroopers rounded a corner and readied their weapons. "It's the rebels. Open fire!" shouted one of the troopers.

Ezra quickly ignited his lightsaber but he couldn't possibly block every shot. He was still just a Padawan and learning the basics of blast deflection.

Sister, with a motion of her hand, sent Ezra flying backwards and right into Hera who caught him. Sister jumped in front of both of them, igniting her lightsaber and activing it's spin function. The Stormtroopers opened fire, liting up the hallway with blaster fire. Sister acted as a shield, blocking every shot.

"Grenade!" one of them shouted. He pulled out a thermal detonator and tossed it down the hallway. The best thing about the Inquisitors' secrecy is that most Stormtroopers had no idea how to fight them or simply believed they were just stage magicians who had nothing but a bag of tricks. It made dealing with Imperial troopers a simple matter.

With a motion of Sister's hand, the grenade changed direction in mid-air and flew right back at the Stormtroopers. They didn't have a chance to react before it landed at their feet and exploded. Sister put up a telekinetic shield as the explosion engulfed most of the hallway. It wasn't the blast she needed to worry about but the fragmented debris launched in every direction. Numerous small scraps of molten metal froze in mid-air in front of her as the explosion extinguished. It took a moment for the smoke to disperse to reveal numerous corpses, some unrecognizable from the blast. The only thing that mattered was there were no survivors.

"Uhh…thanks," said Ezra, realizing he'd probably be dead if Sister didn't pull him back.

"Don't make this a habit," grumbled Sister. She noticed he looked very troubled. "What is it?"

"I saw what just happened in my vision," Ezra replied grimly.

"Vision? What vision?" asked Hera and didn't seem too pleased Ezra was keeping secrets from her.

"Can you two discuss this while we're moving?" Sister grumbled.

The three got moving again with Ezra staying behind Sister, learning from his mistake. "I was meditating earlier and I had a vision. I saw us get aboard this ship and get attacked by those exact Stormtroopers," Ezra explained.

"What else did you see?" inquired Hera.

"I die," Sister answered matter-of-factly.

* * *

 _Explosions lite up the forest as Clone trooper launched mortars. The advancing Umbarans responded by liting up the night with blaster fire as they charged towards the airbase. The Clones had hastily established a defensive line comprised of barricades and heavy repeating blasters for the battle. The Umbarans had no tanks or air cover, nothing but infantry on foot with whatever weapons they were able to carry with them from the capital. They were certain to sustain heavy losses but that didn't matter to them. The air base was their only hope to gain necessary supplies to wage a possible guerrilla war that could drag the battle on for months. That wasn't going to happen._

 _The Clones gunned down the Umbarans as they charged. They were dropping like Gamorrean Flies in a freezer but still the Umbarans charged with almost no concern for their well-being. Varra was taking cover beside Rex and Dogma. The two clones fired at the advancing Umbarans while Varra deflected any incoming blaster bolts. Several nearby troopers screamed as they were hit, dropping to the ground._

" _Man down! Medic!" were screamed but immediately drowned out as Umbarans grenades detonated near the barricades, forcing everyone to take cover._

" _They're breaking through!" shouted Dogma as he resumed firing. The natives were starting to reach the barricades with the fighting devolving in close quarter and hand to hand fighting. Three Umbarans reached Rex's barricade, only for Varra to lash out with her lightsaber. She severed all three of their blaster rifles with a single slash then sent the natives flying through the air with a thrust of her hand._

" _Jesse? Fives? Where are you?!" Rex shouted into his com. The two clones were supposed to be in the sky with two fighters that Krell hadn't sabotaged. The traitorous Jedi Master had disabled the tanks and most of the fighters but not all of them. As Jesse and Fives were the two who piloted fighters to the Separatist cargo ship, they were chosen to fly any operational fighter into combat. Unfortunately, they've yet to appear which meant they must have run into technical problems._

" _Just another minute Captain," Fives' voice replied._

" _We don't have a minute!" Rex shouted. He stood up and fired his blaster pistols. A small glowing insectoid machine crawled onto the barricade and jumped towards the Captain. The killer bot was inches away from the clone before Varra's lightsaber severed it in two. Rex was stunned momentarily and gave the Jedi Padawan a respectful nod._

 _Dogma stood up and fired away…only to get a blaster bolt into the chest. He slumped to the ground, dropping his weapon._

 _Varra could feel him dying, his emotions nearly screaming through the Force. His fear, his anger, his confusion, all bore themselves into Varra's head. His emotions weren't the only one. Varra had felt other clones as they died and their emotions were breaking her concentration. She was supposed to be able to block out such things with her Jedi training but something was wrong. The barrier she built in her mind to block out the Dark Side had crumbled due to Krell's betrayal and she was having a hard time putting it back up._

" _No!" shouted Rex. He scrambled over to check on his brother and took off Dogma's helmet._

" _I'm not a traitor…I'm not a traitor," Dogma gasped over and over again._

" _You're not a traitor trooper and you're not dying either!" Rex shouted to him._

 _Dogma's eyes rolled into his head as he went still, taking his last breath. Varra could sense Rex's anger. Dogma was just a trooper trying to do his duty and had been manipulated by Krell into betraying his own brothers. He didn't deserve this. None of the troopers dying deserved this. They should have been able to fight off this attack with ease had Krell not sabotaged the tanks and aircraft. The thought of her master made Varra burn inside._

 _The Umbarans may not have been Krell but they were just like him. They were respectable citizens of the Republic and betrayed its trust by joining the Separatists. They were just like Krell, betraying allies when it's become convenient. The thought of the Umbarans made Varra burn inside._

 _Clenching her lightsaber harder, Varra stood up from cover. She wasn't thinking clearly, only seeing the Umbarans. Their anger echoed through the Force like a large stone dropped into a pond. Instead of pushing it all away, Varra instead let it inside of her. Their anger fueled her own as she jumped over the barricade and dashed forward._

" _Commander! What are you doing?!" Rex shouted at her._

 _Varra charged into the Umbaran lines, twirling around her double-bladed lightsaber to form an impenetrable shield. It was a Soresu tactic that she had learned long ago to help her in her sparring sessions with Krell. He was always so fast and strong with his two double-bladed lightsabers that it was like trying to fight multiple opponents at once. After enough humiliations, Varra took a closer examination on some of Form 3's tactics. Her specialty was Ataru but that didn't mean she could take lessons from another style and apply it to her own._

 _Every blaster bolt fired at her was deflected aside. Varra could have tried deflecting some of it back at the Umbarans but that could weaken her defenses. Instead she just moved faster towards the nearest Umbaran. His rage turned to fear as Varra skewered him through the chest, killing him. She relished it as she used the Force to send the body flying into two others, knocking them down. She deflected an energy bolt and leaped into the air, deflected another shot before landing next to an Umbaran and decapitated him with a spin of her lightsaber._

 _She rushed into cover as more and more Umbarans were turning their attention away from the clones and attacking her. Varra summoned two grenades from the belt of the decapitated Umbaran to her hand. Pressing the detonator buttons, she hurled both of them into the middle of the mob advancing towards her. They didn't have time to scatter before the grenades detonated, killing dozens of Umbarans and knocking even more to the ground. Their fear and pain echoed through the Force and it felt righteous._

 _Blue blaster fire engulfed Varra's surviving attackers as Rex and the rest of the clones were focusing their fire to cover her. The Umbarans turned their attention back to the clones but by then it was too late. Two Umbaran fighters soared overhead, taking up firing positions above the battlefield. Fives and Jesse were about to decimate the entire Umbaran line._

" _Commander get out of there!" Rex's voice came through Varra's com._

 _Varra ran as fast she could, gaining speeds beyond what any normal human could achieve. The Umbaran took several shots at her but she managed to deflect them away. Their main focus was on the fighters about to rain hell down on them._

 _Varra leaped through the air as Fives and Jesse laid waste to the ground beneath them. Their energy weapons decimating trees, plants, and most importantly Umbarans. Varra landed past the clone barricades, keeping her out of her the kill zone. The Umbarans quickly began to retreat as their casualties were skyrocketing._

" _Jesse, Fives, don't let them escape. Either they surrender or they don't leave this valley alive," Rex ordered. It was a harsh call but they couldn't allow the Umbarans to establish a militia that could use hit and run tactics on Republic targets via guerilla warfare._

" _Understood sir," Fives answered. The fighters raced away, firing at the retreating locals. The clones all cheered victoriously as Rex joined with Varra who was dusting herself off._

" _That was incredible Commander. You ran straight into the enemy, shattered their line, diverted their attention from us, and got back here all without getting a scratch. That's something only Jedi Masters twice your age or General Skywalker could have accomplished," Rex congratulated her._

 _Varra should have been happy about what she did but it happened once again. When she was killing the Umbarans in that battle, she could feel their deaths in the Force. The most horrifying part was that she enjoyed it. Feeling her enemies' lives slip away was something she always blocked out before but she allowed herself to truly hate the Umbarans. It was almost intoxicating feeling someone you hated removed from the universe. These were emotions of the Dark side and Varra had allowed herself to feel them once again._

" _Commander are you alright?" Rex asked, concerned._

" _No. I don't think I'll ever be alright," whispered Varra._

* * *

Sister, Ezra, and Hera entered the detonation block but they were met by more Imperials. Stormtroopers fired at them from down the long hallway filled with holding cells. Sister stood in front of the others, the gyro setting on her lightsaber to form a shield.

"We can't stay here," Hera said. She fired a shot at the troopers but they took cover. They were well entrenched and there was no way the three rebels could rescue anyone until the Stormtroopers were dealt with.

With a wave of Sister's hand, two troopers were flung out of their cover. Hera and Ezra blasted them both as Sister motioned her hand again, flinging out another trooper. He was also shot leaving one left. Sister saved this for herself. He reached out with her free hand and clenched it shut. The remaining trooper dropped his weapon as he grasped his throat, gagging as Sister used the Force to constrict his neck. Then with her same free hand, made a backward motion. The trooper was suddenly thrusted forward, flying down the hallway and landed directly on Sister's waiting lightsaber. She kicked the dying man away and deactivated her lightsaber.

"Make this fast," ordered Sister.

Hera, Ezra, and Sister split checking each cell. Sister could tell if one was empty through the Force so she would simply move to the next. When she did feel someone inside of one, she tapped the door console to let himself in. The cell door shut up to the ceiling, revealing an oversized fur ball suspended in a stasis field.

"You?!" shouted a surprised Zeb. Sister was probably the last person he ever expected to be rescuing him.

"Did you miss me dead weight?" chuckled Sister as she moved towards the stasis field generator. She ignited her lightsaber and slashed it. Instantaneously, the field engulfing Zeb vanished and he dropped to the floor somewhat painfully.

Sister was amused by his grumbling as he got to his feet. "What are you doing here?" Zeb asked.

"Saving your furry hide. The ship just wouldn't be the same without your body odor sticking up the hallways," quipped Sister.

Zeb glared at her but didn't bother with a retort. She did just rescue him so he probably figured she could taunt him all she wants and she most certainly will.

The two exited the cell to find Ezra helping Kanan out of another cell and Hera emerging with Sabine from another. "Are you alright?" Hera asked Kanan who clearly got the worst of the torture.

"Nothing a week in a Bacta tank won't cure…on second thought make it a month," Kanan joked though obviously in pain.

"What are you doing here?" asked a stunned Sabine, just noticing Sister was in the rescue party. Kanan was just as surprised as she was.

"She's helping us," Ezra answered.

"Why?" asked a confused Kanan.

"Here's a better question. Why are you people talking when we should be leaving?!" shouted Sister.

"Sabine, Zeb, there's some bodies over there. Grab their weapons," Hera pointed down the hall to the dead troopers they just killed. The two quickly grabbed the blasters.

"Zeb, take Kanan. You're the strongest of us. The rest of us will cover you two," Hera said. Zeb took hold of Kanan from Hera and Ezra.

The cold sensation of the dark side rippled inside the room. Someone strong in the Force was approaching. Sister headed towards the front exit and ignited her lightsaber. "What is it?" asked Ezra.

He got his answer as the front blast door opened, shooting up to the roof revealing a Pau'an in Imperial armor and holding a lightsaber with a crimson energy blade. The Grand Inquisitor had arrived.

"Sister. Welcome back," he smiled.

"I thought I sensed something pathetic and revolting in the Force," hissed Sister. The Pau'an glanced past her. No doubt all the rebels behind her was raising their weapons, preparing to fight.

"You need only look into a mirror to find its source," mocked the Grand Inquisitor. "How the mighty have fallen. You were once Lord Vader's favorite hunter. The scourge of the Empire's enemies and now reduced to this. Aiding two imbeciles pretending to be Jedi who will die just as easily as their companions."

"Let's test that," said Ezra. He fired his stun cannon only for the Inquisitor to easily swat every shot aside. He thrusted out his free hand and Sister braced herself, readying a cocoon of telekinetic energy. It blocked the incoming wave that the Inquisitor unleashed. It hit her cocoon hard, causing her to slide backwards but she managed to weather it and stay on her feet. She glanced behind her to see her companions weren't so lucky. Every one of them was lying on the floor, moaning in pain.

"Like I said…easily," smiled the Inquisitor. Primary lights came back online as the emergency lights deactivated. Klaxons went off, signaling an intruder alert.

"And now primary power has been restored and your ship has fled. Perhaps you should not have entrusted it to a coward," mocked the Pau'an.

"Chopper come in…Chopper?" Hera spoke in her com. All she got in response was silence. Sister could sense her fear growing along with everyone else's. Blasted droid left them behind. That certainly screwed up their escape plan.

"Karabas," grumbled Zeb.

"I'm gonna scrap that droid if we get out of this," Ezra growled.

"This insanity you call a plan is crumbling like the Old Republic. There is no escape. All of you can either surrender or die," the Pau'an said.

Sister gave him his answer by thrusting both her hands out, sending out a telekinetic wave. The Inquisitor braced himself using a cocoon comprised of the Force to block it. It didn't knock him down but it did cause him to stagger back a little.

"Take the exit at the far end of the hallway. It'll lead you towards Engineering," Sister instructed the others.

"Why would we want to go there?" asked Zeb.

"I might have an idea," smirked Sabine. Of course the pyromaniac had to be the one to figure out why.

"What about you?" Ezra called out.

The Inquisitor lunged toward Sister, slashing at her chest. Sister managed to deflect the attack aside and lunged forward with an elbow strike to the chest. The blow knocked her opponent back a few steps, raising his blade defensively.

She knew that Ezra's vision meant this was probably her final stand and yet she wasn't running away. Ironic for someone who hated Jedi and aided hunting them down to extinction now was about to act like one. Jedi embraced what they considered to their destinies whether it be good or bad. Sister always hated the idea that the Force was controlling her fate and a month ago, would have simply run away. But fate had seemed to force her hand. No matter what she did, Sister was as good as dead. Whether it was at the Grand Inquisitor's hands or the bomb slowly leaking poison inside of Sister's body. So might as well go down swinging.

"I'm done running," smiled Sister.


	16. Chapter 16

(Apologies for the long wait but I decided I was going to finish up the last of Season One of Rebels with this chapter. I hope it being the longest chapter yet hopefully makes up for this.)

 _Varra didn't get any sleep once the battle was over. There was no day or night on Umbara, only eternal darkness but most of the clones had been up for more than sixteen hours so most of the battalions finally got some much needed sleep. Across the rest of the planet, the Umbarans were surrendering and the Separatists were evacuating, considering Umbara to be a lost cause at this point. Yet there were no victory celebrations. For the clones who survived the campaign, this was simply their latest battle and there would be plenty more to come._

 _Obi-Wan Kenobi was on his way to the base to pick up Master Krell's body and to take Varra into custody. The decision to report what really happened was controversial among the troops. Captain Rex, Fives, Jesse, and Tup wanted to report that Krell broke out of his cell and that Varra killed him before he could harm one of the guards. Yet it was Varra who decided they would report the truth. A Jedi wouldn't lie to cover up something like that and she was still a Jedi Padawan._

 _Varra had no illusions about her punishment for this. The Jedi will cast her out of the order and sent to the courts for trial on charges of murder. Still the odds of being convicted were slim. Master Krell had committed acts of treason resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Republic soldiers. Any first year adjudicator will be able to point this out along with throwing an extreme emotional disturbance defense and no jury in the galaxy would convict her. Varra knew she was guilty but didn't feel it. Her Master was a traitor and would have caused untold damage to the Republic war effort should he escape. All of that was true but Varra didn't kill him for those reasons._

 _She tried to mediate for the few hours she had to wait but found herself unable to find the inner peace she once had. Varra, like all Jedi, was taught since she was a child that in order to strengthen one's connection with the Force, removing all emotions and doubt from one's mind was necessary. But now that inner peace seemed impossible. Her mind wouldn't let go of the emotions she felt in the past day. Considering what she went through, it was understandable she'd be upset but Jedi were expected to overcome such things and adhere to the Jedi Code. Varra failed in both of those._

 _Kenobi's airship finally arrived, touching down on the airfield. A large majority of the 501_ _st_ _were assembled to await the Master's arrival with Varra standing near the front along with Rex and Fives. The airship's blast shutter opened, revealing the bearded Jedi Master. His face revealed nothing and he emitted nothing through the Force. Not anger, joy, disappointment, or anything. Kenobi stepped off the ship along with Commander Cody._

" _General, Commander," Rex greeted them._

" _All of you are to be commended. Taking the airfield, destroying the Separatist supply ship, and routing the last of the Umbarans. It's safe to say that all of you turned the tide of the entire battle," Kenobi spoke up so the entire 501_ _st_ _could hear him._

" _We lost a lot of good men General," spoke Rex. "And we had help," he added, indicating Varra._

 _Kenobi's friendly tone seemed to fade as he turned his attention to the Jedi Padawan. "Yes. You'll need to return to Coruscant with me immediately," he said._

 _Varra didn't say anything, just lowering her head as she stepped forward to join him._

" _A moment General," Rex said. "The Commander fought bravely alongside us and regardless of whatever wrong you might think she may have done, know that the entire 501_ _st_ _supports her and every one of us will gladly testify on her behave."_

 _The 501_ _st_ _all stood at attention and saluted, not to Kenobi but to Varra. The Jedi Master was surprised as well as Commander Cody but not as surprised as Varra. She thought there would bitter resentment among them towards her loyalty to Krell even when he was clearly wrong. Then again she at least fought beside them throughout the entire campaign while Krell was always in the back. Maybe that is what earned their respect._

* * *

Sister charged forward, attacking the Grand Inquisitor with a relentless combination of lunges, slashes, punches, and kicks. Form IV was renowned for its aggressive fighting style and its use of physical attacks. Ataru teaches that your entire body is your weapon, not just your lightsaber. Hence why Form IV masters were considered to be just as dangerous unharmed as they were with a lightsaber. It emphasized using rapid and quick sequences of attacks aimed at keeping the opponent off balance using Force assisted acrobatics.

The Pau'an was forced back, swinging his lightsaber defensively with a single hand and standing at his side. This was the opening stance of Form II also known as Makashi. This fencing style was geared specifically for lightsaber opponents. Whereas most other styles utilized strength or agility to overwhelm an opponent's defenses, Makashi was all about balance and using quick jabs and cuts rather than hacks and slashes. The legendary Count Dooku utilized it to deadly effect, besting multiple powerful Jedi Masters. Still it wasn't without its flaws. Makashi had difficulty meeting strength head on, rather deflecting blows aside. Catch a Makashi duelist with a move he can't deflect away and his defense will crumble.

Sister attacked his head, legs, shoulders, arms, chest, attacking high then low, low then high, high and high, low and low. All of it was aimed at keeping the Grand Inquisitor off balance and wear him down. To his credit, the Pau'an managed to block, deflect, and parry all of Sister's attacks. He hadn't gained his position within the Inquisitorius by just sucking up to Darth Vader. He was the oldest of the Inquisitors and with age came experience.

Sister was relentless with her assault, running across the wall of the detention block to get around him and attacking from behind. Their blades clashed, sparks crackling from the meeting of two energy streams. The two opponents utilized the Force to increase their speed and reflexes to the point their movements would seem like a blur to anyone else. They were constantly on the move, never remaining still for a single moment.

Their battle spilled out of the detention block and in a hallway, moving down it and turning into another corridor. Sister was so concerned with landing a decisive blow that she sometimes took a moment to realize every time the two moved either into another corridor or room. All sense of time was lost as well. They could have been fighting for a few minutes or a few hours for all Sister knew. Her focus and that of her opponent's was to kill each other, nothing else mattered.

* * *

"Why exactly are we going to Engineering?" asked Zeb, helping Kanan as everyone rushed down a corridor. Stormtroopers were in hot pursuit right behind them, firing their blasters. The rebels turned and fired back, forcing their pursuers to take cover but it was only a momentary respite.

"We're going to blow the engines," answered Sabine.

"What?!" Zeb and Kanan both shouted at once.

"No Sabine's right. Every trooper on this ship will swarm us unless we cause enough damage to force an evacuation," Hera agreed.

"Better they run to the escape pods then after us," agreed Ezra.

"This is a bad plan," muttered Kanan.

"Since when have we ever had a good plan?" quipped Sabine.

* * *

Red blades clashed at the two Inquisitors battle across the ship. Second Sister attacked him relentlessly, hammering away with her blade at every possible body part of her opponent. The Grand Inquisitor, to his credit, managed to parry all of her blows. He was walking backwards, one foot in front of the other. Typically Makashi tactic to maintain good balance while constantly on the move but it was a defensive one. He had yet to truly come close with a counterattack or offensive strike of his own. Perhaps he was hoping to draw the battle out by tiring Sister out. One downside with Ataru was it wears you down faster than other lightsaber styles.

Fortunately, Sister heavily focused on endurance training dating back to when she was still a naïve little Jedi Padawan. She could keep this up for quite a while but for the moment, she held back utilizing any high risk jumps or acrobatics. She needed to conserve her energy as the Grand Inquisitor was. It didn't help that Makashi was a great style to wear down an opponent. Sister needed to finish this fight sooner rather than later.

"Joining the rebels I somewhat understand. You want vengeance but to actually join a suicidal rescue mission?" the Pau'an asked as he ducked to avoid a slash.

"Maybe I wanted a chance to kill you along with Grand Moff Tarkin," smiled Sister.

"Then you should have headed up to the bridge but instead you headed to the detention block to rescue your friends. After all these years, it turns out you're still a Jedi," mocked the Inquisitor.

Enraged by the insult, Sister suddenly a barrage of slashes and jabs. The Inquisitor blocked one of her strikes and their blades held fast against each other. The battle turned into a contest of physical force as the two combatants tried to push each other's lightsabers to the side. If one managed to get the right leverage, he or she could force their opponent's weapon aside, leaving an opening to strike. The Pau'an was physically stronger then Second Sister but she knew something he didn't. The Inquisitor's technique was very simple and effective but it exposed a weakness Sister has suspected for years. The Grand Inquisitor was too used to people fighting him using normal techniques. Do something unorthodoxed and it will catch him off guard.

Sister activated the second blade on her lightsaber and activated her gyro setting. The Inquisitor immediately did the same with his lightsaber, their blades were now locked with neither combatant ready to back down. Their lightsabers were starting to smoke, both gyros engines groaning from the equal strain they were suffering. The Grand Inquisitor was so focused on Sister's arms and her lightsaber that he didn't notice her shifting her legs.

Sister leaped up, doing a flip in the air while disabling her lightsaber gyro setting and one of her lightsaber blades all in the span of half a second. Now at a single blade and untangled from the Inquisitor's lightsaber, Sister was free to get a single swipe at her opponent's back before she completed her flip in the air and landed on her feet. The move was so fast and sudden that the Pau'an was caught almost completely off-guard. He lunged forward quickly enough to avoid a lethal slash but Sister still managed to leave a glowing cut across the Inquisitor's armor. Clearly it hadn't managed to reach his skin as the Pau'an was still on his feet and wasn't in any pain.

But at least Sister could relish in the fact that the Inquisitor's smile was gone. Her move might not have caused any reason damage to him but it did seem to have shattered the Inquisitor's confidence.

"Grand Inquisitor in name only," mocked Second Sister.

The Pau'an growled, showing his fangs. He lunged forward, lunging for a killing blow. Sister easily parried it aside and was quite pleased that their positions were now reversed. The Grand Inquisitor was now the aggressive one and Sister on the defensive. Except this was exactly how she wanted it. Now she could conserved her energy and wait for an opening to deliver a killing blow.

"I was always stronger then you. Lord Vader knew it, the other Inquisitors knew it, even you know it," Sister mocked as she continued to block the Inquisitor's attacks. "The Jedi saw fit to make you a Temple Guard. They didn't think you had what it takes to make it in the greater galaxy so they stuck you inside the Temple as a glorified security guard."

The Inquisitor snapped, roaring as he pounded away at Sister's lightsaber with his own. He might have known what buttons to push for Second Sister but she knew how to set him off as well. She always suspected the Grand Inquisitor resented the Jedi for assigning him to what he considered to be a minor position within the Order and now this proved it. The Pau'an was no longer fighting with strategy or grace but by brute force without thought or reason. That was suicide for someone who fought with Makashi. All Sister needed was just one opening and this fight would be over.

Another sound filled the hallways, competing with the sound of lightsabers clashing. Footsteps and a lot of them. Six Stormtroopers clad in black armor with skull shaped helmets rounded a corner and came to a halt. Slag, it was the Darkstar Unit. Sister heard about them. Special Forces that performed all sorts of wet works that the regular military would find revolting. Sister couldn't fight them and the Grand Inquisitor at once.

Sister kicked the Pau'an away from her and lashed out with the Force at the troopers, sending a Force Wave that knocked all six troopers off their feet. It wouldn't keep them down for long but it would allow Sister enough time to escape. She immediately turned and fled with the Grand Inquisitor right on her heels.

* * *

Sabine, Ezra, Zeb, Kanan, and Hera all rushed inside the engine room with blaster fire shooting past their heads. Ezra quickly hit the nearby door controls to slam a blast door, cutting the rebels off from their pursuers. He ignited his lightsaber and cut along the edges of the doorway to cauterize the blast door to the wall. Now no one would be able to open it.

"That won't hold them forever," Hera commented as they rushed down a long metallic walkway suspended at least a hundred feet above the ground. Ezra glanced around and realized he was inside the same large room he saw from his vision. Three large engines with multiple metallic walkways spider webbing around them on multiple different levels. Which meant that Second Sister and the Grand Inquisitor were probably on their way here.

Sabine rushed towards a large console situated next to one of the engines. "Ok just give me a few minutes and I can hopefully shut down the coolant systems to cause an overload," she reported as she typed on the interface.

"Hopefully?" frowned Kanan.

"Everything we've done up to this point has been done with nothing but hope," Ezra quipped.

"Well we're starting run a little low at this point so hurry up," Hera said.

"Almost got it. Just a little more…" Sabine said. Suddenly the screens on her console all flashed red.

"Frag! It's a security lockdown to prevent sabotage! I'm locked out!" cursed Sabine.

"Karabas. Now what do we do?" groaned Zeb.

"We're going to need to cut into the engine and destroy the coolant system manually. The problem is the coolant system is at the top of the engine," Sabine answered, pointing to the top of the nearest massive engine.

"Let me guess. Blasters won't get the job done," sighed Kanan.

"It's made of thick durasteel. Our blasters will barely make a dent on it," nodded Sabine.

"What about a lightsaber?" asked Ezra as he pulled out his own.

"If the metal's too thick for blaster fire, we can't just throw a lightsaber at it. Someone will have to climb up there and cut through it by hand," Kanan said.

"I can do it. I'm the best climber here," Zeb volunteered.

"Just don't drop it," grumbled Ezra as he handed his weapon over to the Lasat. He'd rather be the one to do the deed but most of all he didn't like giving away his lightsaber. Zeb scrambled up the large engine, almost falling several times with the lack of indentations or cut outs to grasp onto.

Back at the sealed blast door, sparks ignited through a glowing hole as the Imperials were starting to cut through it with a plasma torch. "Zeb hurry up!" Hera called up to him.

At the top of the machine and just inches from the ceiling, Zeb came to a halt then ignited Ezra's lightsaber. Sparks flashed as he started cutting into the machine. The Lasat had difficulty with it as he only had one right hand to utilize with his left hand and feet were holding him up.

With the sound of Zeb cutting the engine and the Imperial's cutting the blast door, Ezra was a little surprised when he heard a third sound. Grunting and the clashing of lightsabers. He glanced up to a walkway situated one level above them. Second Sister was battling the Grand Inquisitor with Sister moving backwards. She was on the defensive as the Pau'an was hammering away at her with his lightsaber.

Everything was happening just as Ezra's vision predicted but he wasn't going to let it finish the same way. "It's the Inquisitor! Shoot him!" Ezra shouted.

The others, already seeing the battle, aimed their weapons at the Pau'an and opened fire. The Inquisitor, sensing the attack before it happened, instantly leaped backwards to avoid the incoming blaster barrage. He then launched himself into the air and, to everyone's horror, landed on the same platform as the Rebels.

The Pau'an thrust his hand out and Ezra suddenly found himself flying backwards along with Hera and Sabine. The three of them landed in a roll and thankfully none of them fell off. Kanan, who must have managed to put up a telekinetic shield, hadn't moved at all. "Zeb I'm going to need that!" Kanan shouted.

Ezra's lightsaber dropped down which allowed Kanan to use the Force to pull it to his hands. He ignited it as the Inquisitor lunged forward. Ezra held his breath as the two were about to clash when a blur came flying from above. Second Sister was descending towards the platform and was descending directly towards the Inquisitor. The Pau'an turned just in time to block Sister's lightsaber blade at slashed down upon him. But he wasn't ready for Kanan. The Jedi summoned his own lightsaber which was hanging on the Inquisitor's belt then he thrusted both of his hands, sending a telekinetic burst that caught the Inquisitor by surprise. The Pau'an was knocked right off the platform, falling into the machinery at least seventy meters below.

Ezra glanced at the floor to see the Inquisitor had somehow managed to land on his feet. He glared up with murder in his eyes.

"Zeb did you finish?!" Hera shouted, her eyes focused on the blast door the Imperials were about to finish cutting through.

The Lasat quickly descended from the machine, having a much easier time coming down. "I cut into it but I'm not sure I did enough damage," he said.

"We can't stay here. We need to leave," said Sister.

The cut section of the blast door collapsed as Stormtroopers rushed in blasting. Sister activated her gyro setting, using her lightsaber as a shield to deflect every shot before thrusting out her free hand. The Stormtroopers were all flung off their feet and back through the hole they cut to get inside.

"We've got more!" shouted Zeb, pointing to the platform where Sister and the Inquisitor came from. Stormtroopers in black armor and skull-shaped helmets rushed onto the platform. The Darkstars had arrived.

"Not these guys again," gulped Ezra. Kanan tossed him his lightsaber back and Ezra quickly ignited it. The Darkstars all activated their jetpacks and flew into the air. They split up, moving to attack the rebels from multiple different directions.

"Everyone form a circle! Kanan, Ezra, and Second Sister will stay on the outside to block any incoming fire. The rest of us will stay in the center and provide covering fire!" shouted Hera. The Imperials fired away as the rebels formed into a circle with the lightsaber wielders surrounding everyone else. The group then moved forward, quickly heading towards an exit on the opposite side of the platform but slow enough to stay in formation.

Sister, Ezra, and Kanan blocked blaster fire while Hera, Sabine and Zeb fired back. Whatever blaster fire was deflected back at the Darkstars by Kanan and Sister never hit their targets. The dark armored Imperials were constantly zig-zagging in the air, making them difficult to hit. They reminded Ezra of hawk-bats, working together in packs to surround and attack prey from above.

"We're almost there!" Hera called out. The rebels were getting close to the exit when the Darkstars suddenly changed tactics.

The troopers each fired a single missile from their jetpacks. Ezra expected the projectiles to come flying towards them except they didn't. Three missiles headed directly towards the exit while three others were headed towards the platform they were standing on except it was at least fifteen meters away.

"Everyone jump to that platform!" Sabine shouted, pointing to a nearby platform on a lower level. It was in that moment that Ezra realized what was going on. The Darkstars were shooting at the platform itself, hitting it in two locations that could cut off the section of platform they were standing on from any support. Once the missiles hit, the rebels would drop to the floor. Sister and Kanan would probably survive the fall with their Force skills but everyone else wouldn't be so lucky.

Everyone quickly jumped off as the missiles detonated, sending the platform they were standing on a second ago tumbling to the floor below. Ezra came in hard, unable to land on his feet. He crashed onto his stomach which knocked the wind out of him for a moment. Ezra took a second to check on the others. Sister and Kanan had landed on their feet and were already deflecting blaster bolts. Sabine was back on her feet quickly as well as Hera. Zeb almost missed the platform but managed to grab it and pull himself up.

"No time to rest. Move!" Kanan said urgently. Ezra got back to his feet and grabbed his lightsaber which had landed a few feet away. He was lucky it didn't slide off. Ezra reignited his weapon and got back in formation to help shield the others. They quickly headed towards the exit on this level, hopefully before the Darkstars try that bridge cutting trick again. As if these soldiers weren't bad enough, Ezra noticed the Grand Inquisitor was scaling one of the engines to get to the same platform as the rebels.

Sabine, Hera, and Zeb were the first through the exit with Sister, Kanan, and Ezra coming up behind still blocking blaster fire. Before they could rush out of the room, one of the Darkstars fired a missile directly at them. It came in so fast that Ezra didn't have any time to react. Fortunately, Sister did and raised one of her hands. The missile came to a direct halt inches from her face. The projectile shook at if it was struggling against some kind of invisible rope holding it back.

The Grand Inquisitor leaped off the engine onto the platform and raced towards his prey, his lightsaber spinning. Kanan thrusted both hands out, not targeting the Pau'an but instead sending the missile that Sister was holding in place soaring through the air. At first Ezra was confused as it wasn't heading towards anyone until he realized it was heading directly towards the top of the engine that Zeb cut into.

The Grand Inquisitor was almost on top of them when the missile detonated on the engine. The resulting explosion was deafening, sending out a shockwave that send the Darkstars flying in every direction as well knocking the Grand Inquisitor, Ezra, Kanan, and Sister right off their feet. The air began to smell of burnt metal as the massive room was turned into an inferno.

Ezra, Kanan, and Sister quickly scrambled back to their feet and rushed through the exit. Ezra glanced behind him to see the Inquisitor still lying on the platform but had reignited his lightsaber. He threw the weapon at his escaping prey, it's twin blades spinning as it headed directly for Ezra. Sabine quickly smashed a button on the door console and a blast door slammed shut. Just in time as the lightsaber impacted the door, one of it's red blades sticking through but had come to a halt.

* * *

Tarkin's security detail had insisted that he evacuate the Sovereign the instant the prisoners were reported to have escaped. The Grand Moff at first refused. He wasn't the kind of commanding officer who ran at the first sign of trouble but that all changed when the entire ship was rocked by a series of explosions. A detonation within the engine room had destroyed the primary coolant system and now the main reactors were in danger of a reactor breach. Tarkin signal an evacuation order and was immediately escorted to an escape shuttle near the bridge that was designed to ferry the Grand Moff away from the ship within seconds of any danger.

The shuttle was halfway to the Iron Victory, the nearest Star Destroyer when Tarkin finally received a report about the fugitives. He had already received dozens of medical, fire, and various other messages regarding people still on board but only the rebels interested him.

" _Governor this is Major Velken. I have the Grand Inquisitor with me,"_ the Darkstar CO's voice came through the com.

"Report," ordered Tarkin.

" _The intruders have managed free the prisoners and sabotage the engines. We believe they are still onboard,"_ reported Velken.

"Is there anything you can tell me that I don't already know?" Tarkin said, keeping his temper in check.

" _Second Sister is with them,"_ replied the Grand Inquisitor.

Tarkin frowned. Intelligence believed that the former Inquisitor was simply using the rebels to escape Lothal. After the rebel cell managed to get her off-world, it was believed that Second Sister had moved onto either Hutt Space or the Corporate Sector to lay low. Clearly she had other ideas but none of this fit her psychological profile. Second Sister wouldn't aid the rebels unless she was getting something out of it and what could she possibly hope to achieve from a suicide mission? Risking her life on a mission certain to fail was also not in her profile.

"Eject all aft escape pods from the ship. That will allow a far more manageable number of escape pods for us to cover with our Ties Fighters and turrets. The rebels will either need to take one of these pods or one of the spacecraft from the hangar bay. You'll await them there and should they come kill them all," ordered Tarkin.

" _What about Second Sister? Lord Vader had orders to capture her alive,"_ the Grand Inquisitor pointed out.

"Let me worry about Lord Vader. Just make sure the rebels don't escape this time. Remember gentlemen, failure will have consequences," Tarkin warned before cutting off the transmission.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me. All the escape pods in the rear section of the ship have been automatically launched," grumbled Sabine. She had been quickly skimming through a console to find a possible means of escaping the ship. With a reactor breach, the Sovereign would either explode or get dragged down to the surface of Lothal via the planet's gravitational pull. Neither of those options were appealing so the rebels needed to escape and quickly. Using the escape pods was risky as the Imperials would blast them if they managed to figure out which pod they were on but they were close enough to Lothal to possibly use one to escape to the planet below. It seemed the Imperials were one step ahead of them by ejecting all the pods in the area they knew the rebels were in.

"Karabas. What do we do now?" grumbled Zeb.

"Getting a shuttle's our only option now," said Sister. "The Imperials will target any escape pods that launch now from the forward section of the ship. All pods will ordered to stop a safe distance away from the Sovereign and drift in space until they can be retrieved. Any that attempt to get to Lothal will be shot down."

"How do you know that?" asked Ezra.

"Because it's what I would do," Sister answered.

"Let's just hope there's a ship left to escape on," Kanan sighed.

Ezra then noticed Sister was glancing at her left hand, clenching it into a fist as it shook slightly. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she grunted in a tone that meant she didn't want to talk about it so drop it. Ezra couldn't help but think back to the time Sister told him about the side effects of the chemical inside that micro charge implanted in her body. Numbness was the first symptom she mentioned which could she was feeling right now. But there's no way Sister was going to confirm his suspicions. She's not someone to confide how she's feeling to anyone including Ezra.

The route to the hangar bay was suspiciously quiet. Most of the crew had moved to the front of the ship for evacuation and what troopers they did see only ran along, avoiding a fire fight. They wanted to get off the ship as soon as possible and Ezra couldn't blame them. The ship was rocked by a series of explosions with each one seemingly getting stronger than the last. Lights began to flicker on and off with the evacuation alarm cutting in and out.

"The reactor's not going to last much longer," commented Sabine.

"Hangar Bay 5 is just up ahead," stated Sister.

The group entered a large hangar bay and to Ezra's horror, it was the exact same one he saw in his vision. As if that wasn't bad enough, standing in the middle of the hangar bay was the Grand Inquisitor.

"So glad you decided to join us," smiled the Pau'an who ignited his crimson lightsaber.

Ezra didn't miss the fact that he said us. He glanced around noticed a Darkstar in cover behind a parked Tie Fighter, aiming his blaster rifle at the Rebels. "Look out!" Ezra yelled.

The three Force wielders of the group ignited their lightsabers just in time as the first volley of blaster fire came streaking across the hangar bay. The Darkstars had positioned themselves all around the massive room to hit the rebels from almost every possible angle from both the main floor and a second floor comprised of raised walkways. The rebels quickly rushed towards a group of cargo containers for cover. Everything was happening exactly as Ezra's vision foretold and now there was only one thing left.

"Whatever you do. Don't attack the Grand Inquisitor," Ezra urged Second Sister. She threw him a look and while her face was masked by her visor, Ezra didn't need to see it to know she was annoyed.

"We need to get moving before…" Sabine said before the whole room shook violently. Everyone was knocked off their feet as lights started blowing out. Power conduits running along the ceiling exploded, dropping flaming debris all over the room. The Darkstars quickly rushed or flew to cover but one of them was crushed, hopefully to death. A new klaxon went off and Ezra got a bad feeling hearing it.

"That's the meltdown alarm. We've only got a few minutes before this entire ship explodes," said a nervous Sabine.

"Hey morons! This ship is going to explode. If we don't leave now, we're all going to die!" Kanan shouted out so the Grand Inquisitor and the Darkstars could hear him. His response was more blaster fire.

"Great. We finally meet the first set of suicidal bucket heads," grumbled Zeb as he, Hera, Sabine, and Kanan stood up from cover to return fire. The Darkstars quickly took cover or began moving cover to cover via their jetpacks. Fires were starting to spread inside the room and yet the Imperials fought on with almost no regard for their lives.

"Second Sister! Or perhaps I should say Varra Kayne!" the Grand Inquisitor shouted. Waves of pure hatred was emanating from Sister in the Force. Ezra glanced at her and saw she was clenching her lightsaber so hard, you'd think she was going to break her fingers. He knew that Sister had a name once upon a time but Ezra wasn't expecting the amount of hatred she'd have for hearing it.

"Don't call me that!" Sister shouted. She suddenly leaped over the containers.

"Wait!" Ezra shouted but Sister was gone. He glanced around the container to see her charging directly at the Pau'an. Their lightsabers clashed as both of the weapons spun around on their gyros. Ezra knew how this was going to end and just couldn't stand by and let it happen.

Ezra was about to jump out when a barrage of blaster bolts flew by his head. Kanan grabbed him and pulled him back down. "Ezra don't!" he ordered.

"You don't understand Kanan! She'll die!" Ezra shouted back. Sabine shot up from cover and got off a perfect shot with her blaster, hitting one of Darkstars on the second floor in the helmet. He fell off the platform, dead before he hit the floor.

Sister lashed out with her lightsaber, attacking like a wild animal. The Inquisitor was holding his own but his arrogant grin was vanishing and he was falling back. Maybe he was realizing he bite off more than he could chew.

"Animal! I have something of yours!" a familiar voice mocked. A Darkstar stepped out from behind a parked Tie Fighter he had been using for cover. In his hands was a bo-rifle, specially Zeb's bo-rifle. That's when Ezra recognized the voice, it was Velken's.

"Did I ever tell you about the times I visited the villages of Lasun and Mehrin?" Velken mocked. Whatever the Imperial was talking about set Zeb off. The Lasan screamed with a fury Ezra had never seen from him before. Zeb charged directly towards Velken, his safety almost a second thought.

"Zeb no!" Hera shouted at him but it was no avail. She quickly started firing at any Imperial she could see along with Sabine and Kanan. Ezra could tell they were giving their friend cover fire so he decided to help by firing his stun blaster on his lightsaber at a nearby trooper in cover. Velken disappeared behind a Tie and Zeb charged right after him out of sight.

Another explosion rocked the room. A parked Tie was crushed from falling debris, causing it to explode and kill another Darkstar nearby. Ezra should feel good about that but the fact was the whole hangar was falling apart with fires starting to burn out of control.

"We need to get out of here now! All of you lay down cover fire while I get to a Tie and prep it for flight. We'll use it to fly us out of here," ordered Hera. Having six people fit in one Tie was going to tough but it wasn't like they had much choice. The only shuttle in the room was a burning pile of wreckage, destroyed by debris that collapsed from the ceiling and there wasn't time to check any other hangars.

Sister and the Grand Inquisitor fought as if nothing else in the universe mattered. The room was burning around them onboard a ship about to explode and yet they didn't seem to care. The Pau'an managed to batter away one of Sister's attacks with one side of his dual lightsaber and lunged forward with the other end, stabbing Sister in the chest.

"No!" shouted Ezra.

* * *

Second Sister screamed in pain as a blade of pure energy stabbed her right into the left side of her chest. She could feel it puncture through her ribs and possibly internal organs. Sister froze, unable to move or risk the lightsaber causing even more damage and it was clear her opponent wasn't interested in giving her a chance to escape. The Grand Inquisitor was smiling ear to ear, having played Sister like an instrument. Saying that name had spurned her into a rage. She should have fought with her head instead of her heart.

"Before you die, regale me with your real reasons for being here. Was it for revenge or perhaps you did for it for that refuse you call friends?" asked the Pau'an, beaming with triumph.

Sister's options were limited at this point. She was barely able to stand and while she could escape from this, she wouldn't stand a chance if the battle resumed. Sister was right about this being a suicide mission after all. No one would miss her, no one would mourn her. Well maybe Ezra would but that was only because he didn't realize what kind of a person she was. Second Sister had done a lot of horrible things, most she wasn't ashamed of but there were still a few.

An explosion shook the hangar and that's when Sister realized there was a Tie Fighter suspended on a crane near the ceiling. The crane was starting to bend from the damage and the Tie was close to dropping to the floor. That's when a plan formed in her mind, a stupid one but it was her only chance.

"I…did it…" Sister whispered.

"Yes?" the Inquisitor smiled, leaning closer to listen.

"FOR MYSELF!" Sister suddenly shouted. She thrusted both her hands out, sending out a telekinetic wave that caught the Grand Inquisitor completely by surprise. The Pau'an was hurled through the air and landed roughly on the metallic floor. Sister gasped, the lightsaber getting pulled out of her chest caused immense pain. She dropped to her knees, unable to stand but having enough strength in the Force to activate the gryo spin on her lightsaber and hurled it at the crane. The crimson blades cut through the damage metal like a vibroblade through paper.

The Inquisitor glanced up, far too late to do anything as the Tie Fighter directly above fell to the floor, tilting towards landing with its right wing on the ground. He screamed as the fighter came crashing down on top of him. Sister could feel his death in the Force, the impact having killed him almost instantaneously.

Smiling triumphantly, Sister's strength gave out and she collapsed to the floor.

* * *

Ezra broke free from Kanan's grasp and rushed towards Second Sister's fallen body. He was forced to slow down and deflect incoming blaster bolts with his lightsaber from numerous Darkstars stationed around the room. The biggest problem with these black armored troopers was their accuracy was far superior to the regular Stormtroopers who couldn't hit the ground if they fell on it. The Darkstars, unfortunately, had deadly accuracy. Ezra was losing count on how many times bolts of energy came close to hitting his head. They also wouldn't just target his head but his legs as well. For those shots, Ezra had to jump or roll out of the way.

It was probably the hardest thing he's ever done but Ezra managed to reach Sister's body. The good news she was still alive and conscious judging from the moaning coming through her helmet. The bad news she was in no condition to move on her own. Blaster bolts shot from nearly every corner in the hangar as Ezra suddenly found himself not just defending himself but also Sister as well as the Darkstars tried to finish her off. But it was too much for him to cover and a blaster bolt nicked Ezra's shoulder. He grunted in pain but managed to focus and deflect the next set of incoming energy projectiles. Ezra knew he wouldn't survive long unless he got himself and Sister out of there but he couldn't even risk grabbing the fallen ex-Inquisitor without getting shot.

To his relief, Ezra saw Kanan rushing towards him with his own lightsaber raised along with Sabine who was firing her blast rifle. Several Darkstars turned their attention to the two which allowed Ezra only needing to deflect shots from one to two shooters. Kanan thrusted his free hand out and summoned Second Sister's lightsaber to him. To Ezra's surprise, he tossed the weapon to Sabine.

"I'll drag her, you two cover me," Kanan said.

Sabine ignited the double-sided lightsaber and activated the gryo setting. She may not have Jedi reflexes but the fast spinning dual blades formed a shield that made blocking shots much easier for here than for Kanan and Ezra.

Kanan deactivated his lightsaber then leaned down and put his hands underneath Sister's armpits to pull her to a sitting position and drag her backwards. Sister groaned in pain as Kanan moved her but she didn't complain. Ezra and Sabine surrounded the two, blocking every shot to keep Kanan and Sister safe.

"You got hit kid. Are you okay?" Sabine asked, shouting over the carnage.

"I'm fine but I'm still mad at you for knocking me back at that com tower and sending me away with chopper," Ezra said to Sabine.

"How about I make it up to you? If we survive this, I'll redecorate your room," quipped Sabine. It was nice to know that despite what the Imperials put her through, she still had her sense of humor.

"No more spray-painting me getting zapped by Chopper," ordered Ezra.

"You've got a deal kid," chuckled Sabine. Ezra couldn't help but laugh as well.

A nearby Tie Fighter was floating up into the air and for a moment, Ezra was terrified that one of the Imperials was inside of it. That was until the Tie turned and started blasting as the positions the Darkstars were taking cover. The pilot had to be Hera who must have snuck inside one while everyone else was drawing the Imperial's attention by rescuing Second Sister.

The fighter's heavy guns easily pounded away at anything the Imperials were hiding behind, forcing them to move. Two didn't move fast enough and were cut down, leaving just one who flew directly as Hera's Tie. He fired a missile from his jetpack but Hera managed to blast it out of the sky. The missile however did provide a good enough direction for him to land directly on the fighter and started cutting into it with some kind of wrist-mounted laser.

Hera spun the Tie around at an ever increasing speed, making Ezra almost dizzy watching it. The trooper was thrown off the fighter, landing hard on the floor. He groaned, somehow able to get to his knees. Ezra deactivated his lightsaber and aimed its stunner attachment at him. The trooper didn't get a chance to react before Ezra fired with a stun blast, knocking him unconscious.

"Nice going now let's get out of here," Hera replied using the Tie's loudspeaker.

Nearby, Zeb came flying out from behind a Tie. He was clenching his bo-rifle in his hands but he didn't look like he had won his fight with Velken. The Imperial Major flew out of cover and drop-kicked the Lasat off his feet. Velken turned his attention to Hera's Tie and with a touch of a button his wrist-computer, fired a missile from his jetpack. Hera didn't have time to get out of the way with the projectile impacting her fighter's wing. The Tie spun uncontrollably before crashing to the ground.

"Sabine, Ezra! Cover me, I'm going to get Hera and Zeb!" shouted Kanan as he pulled Sister behind a crate for cover. With only Major Velken left, they didn't need to worry about covering Second Sister like before. Sabine switched back to her blaster rifle as she and Ezra fired at the remaining Imperial.

Velken's jetpack ignited and he shot up into the air, avoiding enemy fire and pulling out a blaster he had mounted on his hip to fire back. Kanan managed to reach Zeb who was a little shaken up but managed to get to his feet on his own. They then both rushed over to the wreckage of Hera's crashed Tie and Kanan cut through the window with his lightsaber to pull Hera out.

The ship shook from another explosion, the largest one yet. Velken suddenly turned and soared over to a parked Tie Fighter. He dropped inside through the hatch and the fighter began to power up.

"Uh oh," gulped Ezra.

Velken's Tie Fighter slowly lifted off the ground then turned to a nearby Tie, blasting it into wreckage. Ezra was confused as to what the Major was trying to accomplish until he realized the man was trying to destroy every other craft in the hangar, therefore preventing the rebels from being able to escape the Sovereign.

"Kanan! He's destroying the other Fighters!" Ezra shouted to his master.

Kanan glanced at the Tie which just destroyed another fighter. The Tie was too high for his to attack with his lightsaber so he quickly rushed towards the closet working Tie which ironically belonged to the Grand Inquisitor.

Sabine rushed towards a dead Darkstar that she shot in the head earlier. Ezra, meanwhile, stayed with Sister in case he needed to move her should Velken decide to attack them directly. The Major's Tie blasted another parked Tie, leaving only the Grand Inquisitor's the only one left. Kanan reached the remaining fighter as Velken's Tie turned and fired. Ezra's Master ignited his lightsaber and, while he managed to deflected the shot back, the sheer force behind the blaster bolt knocked him off his feet.

The green energy bolt shot back at Velken who moved his Tie to the side but it's wing was still hit, causing enough damage to give Velken trouble in keeping the craft in the air. Nearby, Sabine finished tampering with the Darkstar corpses' wrist controls and fired a single missile at the Major's Tie. The projectile impacted the other wing, causing the Tie to spin violently towards the hangar's containment shield. It was meant to hold in air and gases while allowing larger objects like ships and people to pass through it. This allowed shuttles and Ties to come and go as they please without having to open massive hangar doors every time.

Velken's Tie spun uncontrollably right through the containment shield and out into space.

Sabine quickly rejoined Ezra and helping him dragged Sister towards Kanan, Hera, and Zeb. The Twi'lek Captain was a little bruised but thankfully seemed okay. "Looks like we've got one choice now," Hera said, referring to the Inquisitor's Tie.

"We can't just escape to Lothal. The Imperials will be waiting for us to try," remarked Sabine.

Sister groaned as she sat up and tapped a button on her helmet, opening the face shield to show her face. "The Grand…Inquisitor's Fighter…has…hyperdrive," she groaned.

Everyone eyes lite up at the word hyperdrive. If they could manage to fit inside, they just might have a chance of escaping. "Let's go," said Hera.

Zeb holsted his bo-rifle and picked up Sister. "How come I always seem to have to carry everywhere?" he joked.

"Because…I sacrificed my body…to save your furry…hide…dead weight," grumbled an annoyed Sister.

Everyone climbed up the Inquisitor's Tie into the access hatch on the roof. Zeb had the hardest job of climbing up it with Sister on his back but he managed to get inside. The first thing Ezra began to realize once everyone was inside was that Tie Fighters were not meant to carry six people. There barely any room for anyone to fit in. It was so bad that Zeb decided to just keep carrying Second Sister around as there was no room to set her down.

Hera sat down in the pilot's chair and started up the engines.

* * *

Grand Moff Tarkin stood on the bridge of the Iron Victory, having taken command of it the second he stepped onboard. He watched with growing irritation as his ship the Sovereign was starting to burn out of control. The Star Destroyer had been a symbol of Tarkin's power and authority and the rebel's actions had turned it to rubble. A large explosion decimated the rear half of the ship, sending the surviving front half sinking down to the planet below.

"Sir, one Tie Fighter detected escaping from the ship," the tactical officer reported.

"Have Zeta and Vaapad squadrons converge on that fighter and draw it towards us. Prepare tractor beam," ordered Tarkin.

* * *

The fighter shook violently as the front view-screen was engulfed in light. The Sovereign must have just exploded and they were probably caught in the wake of the blast. "You might want to go faster," suggested Zeb.

"I'm going as fast as I can," grumbled Hera who had quickly adjusted to the controls. Ezra closed his eyes, either waiting the blast to overtake them or for them to narrowly escape. A few seconds later, the shaking subsumed. Ezra opened his eyes to the view-screen had returned to normal.

"We made it. Punching in the hyperspace coordinates now," smiled Hera. Ezra couldn't believe it. All of them actually managed to get through this alive.

"Hera!" Kanan shouted, pointing to numerous Ties through the view-screen that were heading right towards them.

"I see them," Hera replied. She made a sharp turn, nearly knocking everyone except Hera off their feet.

"What's that flashing?" Ezra asked, noticing a warning alert on the controls.

"We've got more incoming," Hera replied.

"How much incoming?" asked Sabine.

"You don't want to know," gulped Hera. Ezra glanced at the readouts on Hera's console and stopped counting the red dots pursuing them after twenty.

Hera kept the Tie moving at nearly top speed, ducking and swerving as green blaster fire shot around them. Ezra was starting to get a little sick in his stomach as he wasn't used to be inside a Fighter that was faster and far more maneuverable then the Ghost. Also Tie Fighters weren't designed to protect its occupants from G forces as well as the Ghost.

"Are you almost done with the hyperdrive?" asked Kanan.

"Kinda busy trying to keep us all alive," grumbled Hera. Suddenly the fighter shook violently and then came to a sudden halt.

"What just happened?" asked a nervous Zeb.

"Tractor beam," Hera said with a resigned sigh. That was it then, it was all over. There was no escaping now.

"You've got to be kidding me. We got this far for nothing!" grumbled Ezra.

"Activate…the hyperdrive," whispered a weakened Sister.

Everyone threw her an incredulous look. "Jumping while in a tractor beam will rip the Tie into pieces along with us," Kanan said.

"Exactly," sighed Sister. "Better to die now…then to rot in an…Imperial prison."

Ezra glanced at the rest of his crew and family and it was clear that while they weren't going to argue. Hera activated the hyperdrive for a blind jump. It didn't matter where they went as they were going to explode the second they did.

"You know we never got a chance to thank all of you for coming for us," Zeb sighed.

"It was stupid but I'm proud of all of you," Kanan smiled sadly.

"Yeah thanks guys," smiled Sabine.

"I just want to say that it was really nice getting to know all of you," Ezra spoke up.

"Can we die now?" grumbled an annoyed Second Sister.

* * *

"Sir the Tie fighter's hyperdrive is activating. If they attempt to jump…." the tactical officer reported.

"They'll be destroyed," smiled Tarkin. A pity the rebels couldn't be taken alive but better to have them all killed then escape. Lord Vader will no doubt be unhappy with the death of Second Sister but Tarkin had known him long enough to know that he wouldn't make a big deal over it. What matters is that the rebellion on this world is crushed and the Empire's authority be unchallenged.

"Sir new contacts just dropped out of hyperspace," reported the tac officer.

* * *

Ezra held his breath as Hera was about to initiate the hyperdrive when he suddenly heard a familiar beeping over the com. Everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets

"Chopper?!" Hera shouted.

Chopper commented that he couldn't leave them alone for a few minutes without them needing his help and that he brought some friends. Ezra glanced out the view-screen to see the Ghost and several Corellian frigates soaring towards them.

"Who are they?" asked Ezra.

"I don't know but I think they're on our side," said Kanan.

"I knew you were lying about not knowing other rebels," Sister said to Hera.

* * *

"The Ghost and three CR90 corvettes. Two of them are covering the rebel's Tie Fighter and the other two are heading towards us," the tac officer said.

Tarkin had to conceal his shock in front of the crew. He had planned on many things but rebel reinforcements wasn't one of them. Yet again these rebels continued to surprise him.

"All batteries target those ships. You may fire when ready," ordered Tarkin. The rebels might have reinforcements but those ships were no match for an Imperial Star Destroyer.

"They're targeting our tractor beam generator…the field's becoming unstable…tractor beam lost," the tac officer said.

Tarkin could only watch as the rebels ships including the stolen Tie Advanced all jumped away into hyperspace. The Emperor was not going to be pleased.

* * *

Ezra had no idea who their rescuers were but he had never been so grateful for being surprised by anything. Hera piloted the Tie into docking with one of the frigates and they jumped away. The top hatch opened and several hands reached down to help pull everyone out of the fighter. Zeb and Second Sister were the last to come up but the easiest as Kanan and Ezra both used the Force to slowly levitate them up. It was the easiest way to get the injured Sister up without inflicting more pain on her.

"She needs medical attention right away," Hera told their hosts.

"Let's get her to the medical bay," one of them replied. The rebels followed the men into a hallway in which Chopper came zooming down and nearly tackled Kanan, clenching the man with his metallic arms in a hug.

"Oh geez…nice to see you too," Kanan said to the overjoyed little droid.

Chopper then moved onto Sabine and hugged her. "I missed you too," she smiled.

Chopper turned his attention to Zeb and was disappointed that he'd have to give the Lasat back his stuff. "Hey!" shouted Zeb.

Chopper chuckled with a series of beeps. "That's not funny," grumbled Zeb.

"Hello? I'm dying remember?" grumbled Sister.

"Fine fine we'll get you there," said Zeb.

They continued following the officers to a small medical bay with less than ten beds and only two medical droids attending. Fortunately, there were no other patients so that allowed the droids to focus solely on Sister. Zeb set her down on one of the beds.

"I know you probably don't care to hear this but we owe you our lives," Kanan told the former Inquisitor.

"I didn't join that little suicide mission for any of you. I did it for myself," Sister muttered as the medical droids began examining her.

"Yeah well thanks anyways," smiled Kanan.

"Yeah what he said," stated Zeb.

Chopper got everyone's attention as it displayed a holographic image of a human probably in his fifties with a goatee and beard. "Hello my friends. It is good to see you again," he smiled.

"I don't understand. I met you once for a few moments. I don't even know your name," frowned Kanan.

"His name is Senator Bail Organa," answered Hera. The others glanced at her.

"And the crews of the blockade runners?" asked Kanan.

"Members of other rebel cells," replied Organa.

"There are other cells," realized Sabine.

"We're a cell? Did you know we were a cell?" Ezra asked Zeb.

"Uhh…no," muttered the Lasat.

"We weren't supposed to meet. That way if captured, we couldn't reveal the other rebels to the Empire. That was the protocol," explained Hera.

"The protocol has changed," said a Togruta as she stepped inside the medical bay.

"Fulcrum," nodded Hera.

The Togruta was about to say something when her eyes locked onto Second Sister with a look of recognition. Ezra glanced back at the former Inquisitor to see that she clearly recognized the Togruta as well. "You…" Sister said before her eyes rolled up inside her head and she passed out.

(Working on those fight scenes was extremely hard and I was constantly re-writing them especially because I wanted the non-Force users like Sabine, Hera, and Zeb also get their moments to shine in them. Hope you all enjoyed it and please review.)


	17. Chapter 17

Ezra stood inside the ship's medical bay. He paced back and forth like a Sentinel in front of the large cylinder-shaped Bacta tank where Second Sister was currently suspended inside of. She had a breathing apparatus covering up to her mouth and nose, giving her oxygen while she rested inside the warm gelatinous substance. A harness was strapped around her chest and back attached to a lift system that removed and lowered patients into the tank. IVs and sensors were also running along her arms, a necessary addition to try and filter out the toxins in her blood.

Sister wouldn't have been happy that Ezra told them everything he knew about her condition. She might have even refused treatment simply not to show weakness but once the medical droids detected the Sclophamin, there was no point in hiding it anymore. The droids couldn't remove the bomb from inside her chest so they tried the next best thing which was to run her blood through a dialysis machine to help filter the leaking chemical from her system. Unfortunately, the Sclophamin's levels in her blood were continuing to rise. The dialysis machine wasn't proving effective in removing large enough to quantities to have a major effect. The only result was to maybe give her a little bit more time.

The decision was to leave her sedated inside a Bacta tank and keep her there for the time being while medical experts within other rebel cells and sympathizers were consulted for options. Unfortunately so far, no one seems to have an answer how to save her.

Things had changed immensely for Ezra and the rest of the Ghost Cell the past few days. They now found themselves no longer a distant aspect of a larger rebellion but part of it. Hera decided the time was right for them to join the greater fight growing in the galaxy and everyone else was onboard…or at least seemed to be. Kanan went along with it but Ezra could tell he wasn't happy about it. He wasn't sure why but maybe Kanan was just uneasy about working with so many other people especially as the Ghost Cell had become a family of sort's and now they were working with a bunch of strangers. Perhaps he just needed time to adjust.

Ezra's time was mostly spent on Jedi training and occasionally sharpening skills with a blaster turret whenever the fleet of rebel ships jumped towards an asteroid belt to use the floating rocks for target practice. But whenever he got some free time, he would come to the med bay to check up on the former Inquisitor. Her condition never changed but at least she didn't have to be alone. Ezra had tried to reach out into the Force to see if her could connect with her but that accomplished nothing. So he just stood there, waiting and hoping that somehow they find a way to save her.

Ezra could hear the door opening and he turned around to notice Ahsoka Tano entering the room. The Togruta better known as Fulcrum radiated power within the Force which wasn't surprising considering that Ezra learned she was a surviving member of the Jedi Order. Technically she hadn't been a Jedi Knight but neither was Kanan. Yet despite the clear immense power she had, there was a calm feeling that came with it. Ahsoka had been very kind to the Ghost crew from their first meeting and not once did she ever treat one of them with a condescending tone. Ezra was worried her power might make her look down on the likes of Kanan and Ezra but that wasn't the case. The Togruta even helped with Ezra's lightsaber training while she was a great teacher, Kanan would always be Ezra's Master.

"I figured you'd be here," Ahsoka commented as she joined Ezra in front of the Bacta Tank.

"Yeah well somebody should be here for her," said Ezra replied.

Ahsoka folded her arms. "I have to admit. I never thought for a minute that she would actually try to help you," she spoke.

"I didn't either. I just had faith," admitted Ezra.

"Faith?" frowned Ahsoka.

"It's not something I can explain. I just knew she wasn't what everyone thought she was. That and probably the fact that she hadn't tried to kill me," Ezra said, trying to add a joke at the end.

"You trusted your instincts. That's exactly what a Jedi would do," smiled Ahsoka.

"Well it was always touch and go with her. I knew she didn't want to hurt me but I wasn't always certain she wanted to help," admitted Ezra.

"Maybe you gave her a reason to," Ahsoka commented. "I doubt she has any real friends she can rely on for support so you might have been the first person in a long time who tried to help her."

That certainly could be the case. Ezra remembered the way Sister reacted when he admitted he considered her a friend. She lashed out at him, claiming that Ezra was trying to manipulate her even though that wasn't the case. The former Inquisitor tried to keep herself distant from others. At first, Ezra thought it was because she had contempt towards other individuals but maybe she really did it because she didn't want to form any real attachments. Ironically that seemed like a very Jedi thing to do yet the Jedi did it to not allow themselves to put people they care about over others while Second Sister just didn't want get to hurt. The Empire was trying to kill her and from the way she talked about the Jedi, she clearly had been betrayed by them in some way. Ezra couldn't imagine being betrayed twice by the same institutions you dedicated your life to.

"Any news from Commander Sato?" Ezra asked, changing the subject. The leader of the rebel cell they were now a part of had promised to contact various medical professionals for a possible cure or solution to Sister's ailment. Everyone seemed surprisingly eager to help a former member of the Empire and one who utilized the dark side. Kanan, Sabine, Zeb, Hera, and Ezra wanting to help her made all the sense in the universe. She had helped save their crew without any promise of reward. Sister claimed she did to get revenge against the Grand Inquisitor but Ezra felt there was more to her motives then simply revenge.

"No luck I'm afraid and there's probably a reason for it. The Empire wouldn't want its Inquisitors to be able to remove the one thing that keeps them under control so they keep anything that could help under wraps," said Ahsoka.

Ezra stared at Sister, wondering if she was dreaming. It was certainly possible but there was no way of knowing. Connecting with a person in a subconscious state was something far out of Ezra's capabilities within the Force.

"You know you never told me how you know her," Ezra said.

"That's…a complicated story," said a reluctant Ahsoka.

"Did you two fight together during the Clone Wars?" Ezra asked. He knew what Ahsoka did from the stories Kanan told him over the past few days. The Togruta was kinda of a hero to the upcoming Jedi Initiates who heard about her heroism from the Battles of Christophsis, Teth, Geonosis, Mon Cala and so many others.

"No but we did both went through Initiate training around the same time. She was only a year behind me," explained Ahsoka.

"Were you friends?" asked Ezra.

"No. We knew of each other but didn't really interact with one another. Our Masters were constantly sent to missions on different worlds," answered Ahsoka.

"Then how is all of that complicated?" frowned Ezra.

"We kinda ended up as cellmates," said Ahsoka.

* * *

 _Ahsoka sat in her cell with a resigned feeling. Ever since the bombing in the Jedi Temple, things have only gotten from bad to worse. Ahsoka and her Master Anakin Skywalker had been assigned to find the person responsible for bombing the Jedi Temple Hangar. Their investigation led them to Letta Turmond whose husband worked as a technician within the Jedi Temple. Infecting him with nano-droid bombs, Letta wanted to make a terrorist statement by attacking the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka and Anakin arrested her and that should have been the end of it. Instead it only got worse._

 _Letta later requested to see Ahsoka and when the Togruta Padawan arrived, Letta told her that a Jedi was the one who gave her the nano-droids. Before she could reveal who, someone attacked her through the Force. Ahsoka was helpless to stop Letta from being choked to death by an unseen attacker. The guards arrested her for Letta's murder and Admiral Tarkin suspected her of being Letta's accomplice._

 _Ahsoka later escaped from custody but only after someone disabled security and framed her for murdering members of the security staff. She managed to flee her Master who led a large numbers of clones chasing her and descended in Coruscant's underworld. There she was caught by Asajj Ventress who wanted to turn Ahsoka in for a bounty but Ahsoka managed to convince the Dathomirian to help her. Getting a tip from her friend Bariss Offee, Ahsoka went to an abandoned warehouse that Letta had visited. She found the nano-droids but was attacked by Ventress…or at least it looked like Ventress. There was something off about her attacker but it didn't matter in the end. Ahsoka was ambushed by a team of clones who stunned her and now she was waiting in the Temple's Detention Block for the Jedi Council to decide her fate._

 _Situated on the other side of the detention hallway, a human woman probably about the same age as Ahsoka was in another cell. However unlike Ahsoka's empty cell, the human's actually had furniture and accommodations. Shelves filled with books, a chair with a desk possibly for writing, and a HoloNet television hanging on the wall. It sure seemed comfortable at least for a prison cell. Why did she get such comforts while Ahsoka got nothing but a bunk and a pillow?_

 _A young human woman about Ahsoka's age was lying on her bed, reading a book. She looked familiar but Ahsoka couldn't remember who she was._

" _Hey!" Ahsoka called out. The human continued to read her book. Either she didn't hear her or was just ignoring the Togruta._

" _Do I know you?" Ahsoka asked, hoping to get a response. It wasn't like she had anything better to do and she was genuinely curious._

" _No you don't. I don't exist as far as you people are concerned," the human muttered, still not looking up from her book._

 _Ahsoka got to her feet and headed towards the ray shield serving as a cell door. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked._

" _You're talking to the Jedi Council's dirty little secret. Unlike you, I'm someone they could sweep under the rug," said the human._

" _You know who I am?" asked Ahsoka._

" _Oh yes. I know exactly who you are Ahsoka Tano. Nice to meet someone who's an even bigger disgrace to the order then me," chuckled the human._

" _Excuse me?" frowned Ahsoka._

 _The human finally set her book down and got up from her bed. "The Jedi Padawan who conspired to bomb a hangar in the Jedi Temple. I was wondering what all that shaking and alarms going off were about a few days ago," she smiled._

" _I had nothing to do with that!" snapped Ahsoka._

" _Let me guess, you're innocent? Newsflash sister, no one cares if you're innocent or guilty. Especially the Jedi Council," scoffed the human._

 _That's when Ahsoka realized who she was. "You're Varra Kayne. Master Krell's Padawan," she said._

" _And that alone was enough for the supreme know-it-alls who sit on their chairs like gods to judge me evil and keep me locked up here," Varra said, referring to the Jedi Council._

" _And all that furniture and a HoloNet receiver?" Ahsoka asked._

" _A couple of Council members felt guilty about what they did so they sent this stuff down from their ivory towers to try and wash away some of their guilt," hissed Varra._

 _Ahsoka heard about the Council's decision to imprison Varra from an argument she overhead from Anakin and Obi-Wan. Master Kenobi wasn't happy with the decision but argued that the Council had its reasons. Anakin on the other hand argued that Varra didn't do anything wrong and that Krell had to die. Otherwise, he could have escaped and caused untold damage to the Republic war effort._

" _Not everyone in the Jedi agreed with what they did to you," Ahsoka spoke._

" _Well if only opinions unlocked cell doors," scoffed Varra. "Enjoy your cell Padawan Tano, you're gonna be there for a very long time."_

" _My master will find out what's really going on and when he does, I'll be exonerated," Ahsoka said firmly._

 _Varra burst into laughter. "Did you forget the part where I said they don't care whether you're innocent or guilty? The Council will do whatever's more convenient for them just like the political scum they serve in the Senate. They'll keep you locked up in here if only for political reasons. Stay here awhile and you'll see the truth. The lessons your instructors teach you from a young age, the Jedi Code, all of it amounts to nothing more than a pile of Rancor droppings," she mocked._

 _A frustrated Ahsoka headed back to her bunk bed, not wanting to hear any more of this._

* * *

"Wait, Second Sister killed her master?" Ezra asked. He knew she probably had a checkered past but not something like that.

"It happened during the Battle of Umbara. Her Master, Pong Krell, had betrayed her and his clone troopers. He sent them into battles unprepared and designed to maximize casualties. He had been planning to defect to the Separatists and kill Varra in front of Count Dooku in a show of loyalty. But the clones discovered his treachery and stopped him. Even though he had been an unarmed prisoner, Varra killed him in cold blood," explained Ahsoka.

Just when Ezra didn't think Second Sister's past couldn't get any more shocking. He could understand her getting angry at her Master's betrayal but to just to execute him in cold blood? Maybe that was where she took the first steps towards becoming an Inquisitor. Strangely enough, Ezra felt some sympathy towards her. If Kanan had done something like that to him…well that was something Ezra didn't want to think about.

"I don't understand. Why does she say the Jedi Council betrayed her? Was it because they convicted her for killing her Master?" asked Ezra.

"If only it were that simple," sighed Ahsoka.

* * *

 _Varra stood on the Pedestal of Judgment surrounded by five Jedi Watchmen. The masks covering their faces gave off a sense of emotionless detachment but to a far more extreme than normal Jedi. Varra couldn't sense anything from them through the Force. Either they were all strong enough to mask themselves from her or they were as emotionless as droids. Normally when a Padawan stood in judgment before the Jedi Council, his or her Master would be standing beside them usually in support. Varra's only companions were the Watchmen guarding her and she'd get no kind of support from them._

 _Two Watchmen stepped onto the Pedestal and the device ascended upwards into the room above it called the Chamber of Judgement. This was where Jedi were put on trial for any alleged crimes. The pedestal came to a halt then the middle section broke away, leaving Varra by herself as her section of the platform continued to rise up. Above her, the Jedi Council was assembled near the ceiling in box seats cut out of the walls. They were arranged in a circle, completely surrounding the defendant with their judgmental eyes._

 _Varra knew only some of them personally but knew of all of them. Kit Fisto, a Nautolan renowned for using Shi-Cho style in combat along with an almost ever present smile. Adi Gallia, a Tholothian regarded as second only to Anakin Skywalker as one of the best pilots within the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan Kenobi, a human who reinvigorated the teachings of Form 3 Soresu. The style was criticized for its lack of offensive strikes but Obi-Wan reworked it into a devastating combat style._

 _Along with them were the Cerean Ki-Adi Mundi, the Thisspiasian Oppo Rancisis, the Togruta Shaak Ti, the Zabrak Eeth Koth, the Kel Dor Plo Koon, and the Iktotchi Saesee Tiin. But the faces who stood out the most to Varra were Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. They were the two most powerful Jedi in the Order and to see glancing down at her from their seats was unsettling. Windu's eyes were judgmental and cold while Yoda's seemed sorrowful. Varra remembered speaking to him during her early years of her Jedi training and the old Master seemed so kind and benevolent. That benevolence seemed lost however looking at his face._

" _Padawan Kayne. Serious charges have been levied against you including the murder of her own Master. How plead you?" Yoda spoke._

" _Not guilty Master," Varra answered him._

" _You claim you are not guilty and yet you stabbed Master Krell in the back," said Ki-Adi Mundi._

" _Because he was a threat," Varra said._

" _How so?" demanded Windu._

" _The Umbarans were about to overrun our positions. All it would have taken was one of them to get inside the detention building and free Master Krell. If that happened, he would have killed countless clones and escaped. He would have revealed every Republic and Jedi secret he knew to the Separatists and become Count Dooku's latest weapon. Who knows how many people he would have killed before the Jedi could hunt him down? So I did the only thing that would ensure he would never be a threat to anyone ever again," Varra said._

" _Is that why you killed him or because you were angry at him?" asked Plo Koon._

" _I was angry Masters but that wasn't what guided my hands that day," Varra replied._

" _I sincerely doubt that. In fact, I have to question how you couldn't have foreseen Master Krell's betrayal. You were with him for nearly two years and yet you had no clue that you had fallen to the dark side?" Windu accused her._

" _Did you? Did any of you ever suspected him?" Varra challenged all of them. Their silence spoke volumes._

" _Killing an unarmed prisoner is not only a capital crime within Republic law but also betrays the core values of a Jedi," spoke Saesee Tiin. "These are the actions of one who follows the dark side."_

" _I won't deny that I had a momentary weakness," argued Varra._

" _You call murdering your own master a momentary weakness?" frowned Windu._

" _No. I opened myself to it on the battlefield fighting the Umbarans but I didn't fall to its sway. My actions aided the troops I fought alongside them," Varra said._

" _Clearly the 501_ _st_ _agrees with you as every last one of them has sent requests to the Council to speak at your trial," Kenobi commented. Windu threw the other human an annoyed look._

" _Just because a decision is popular doesn't make it right," said Shaak Ti._

" _Use the dark side whenever it suits them, Jedi cannot young one. Otherwise turn our order into something horrible, it would," Yoda said._

" _If you want me to admit that using the dark side was wrong then I'll do it. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me but regardless, even if I hadn't touched the dark side, I still stand by my actions," Varra said._

" _Even killing Master Krell?" asked Windu._

" _Yes," Varra said defiantly. "It's easy to judge others for actions we considered wrong while we sit in our nice comfy temple while other people are fighting for their lives and not every one of them has a clone battalion to back them up or a Republic world to fall back to should the battle be lost. Sometimes there are no good decisions, only the one that harms the least amount of people."_

" _That line of thinking goes against everything the Jedi stands for," Ki-Adi Mundi frowned._

" _In what way?" challenged Varra. "When we take a live, it's always to either preserve ourselves or the live of another."_

" _And who did Master Krell threaten while subdued and detained inside a holding cell in the moment you killed him?" asked Kenobi who was handed something from a Jedi Watchmen who quickly exited the Master's box seat._

" _The entire Republic," replied Varra. She then noticed Kenobi glancing at a holographic readout of something and whatever it was seemed to disturb him._

" _Masters may we convene in private? I've just been made aware of new information that we need to examine before proceeding with this trial," Kenobi spoke._

 _Varra and the other Masters glanced at him in confusion. Varra had been completely honest about everything that happened on Umbara. What could possibly be so important to stop the entire trial and debate behind closed doors?_

" _Very well. This trial is adjured until tomorrow morning," announced Windu._

* * *

"Not exactly the kind of thing I'd imagine hearing Jedi debating," Ezra commented. He studied Jedi philosophy texts that were contained inside of Kanan's holocron and one thing they all stressed was the value of an individual's life. Taking the life of any being or creature should only be used as a means of last resort. That sounded nice and all but Ezra learned during his years growing up alone on Lothal that you didn't survive of doing the nice thing. Sometimes you had to do things you're not proud of to just get your hands simple necessities like food or water. The galaxy wasn't so black and white.

"The Clone Wars changed a lot of things. Most were not for the better," sighed Ahsoka. "The Senate was granting more and more power to the Supreme Chancellor who in turn granted more and more power to the Republic military. The Jedi Council ran the war effort at first but over time, Republic High Command began to take over. The Joint Chiefs began to change protocols and military doctrines established by the Jedi to the point where things like civilian casualties became acceptable. She didn't know it at the time but Varra had opened a crate of gizkas when she killed her Master. According to the newly established military doctrine, Varra had violated nothing within the military code of conduct."

Ahsoka turned to face Varra, suspended motionlessly within the Bacta Tank. "Master Kenobi told me that it was in that trial when they realized how precarious the Jedi Order's position within the Republic had become. Military officers were now creating policy that extended even to the Jedi and as they were sworn servants of the Senate, they had to abide by those doctrines. Because of this, Varra Kayne couldn't be convicted of any crime," she continued.

"If they couldn't convict her then why was she locked up?" asked a confused Ezra.

"Because the Council made a controversial decision, one that several members vehemently opposed," said Ahsoka.

* * *

 _Varra was brought back to the Chamber of Judgment the next morning. She had no idea what happened the other day but the only time the Jedi Council would adjourn a trial like that was due to an emergency. But Master Kenobi said there was important information they just received regarding Varra. Maybe she might get some answers as the trial resumed. Varra knew something was wrong judging from the somber looks on several different Council members._

" _Padawan Kayne. This Council is disturbed by your actions on Umbara," Master Windu spoke. "You not only killed an unarmed prisoner but your own Master. It is understandable that you were put in a difficult situation but Jedi are expected to rise above such circumstances and act according to the Jedi Code. Furthermore, you blatantly admit that you used the Dark Side in combat. There are many trials that a Jedi must overcome in their lives but two of the most important are to resist the Darkside and strong emotions. You failed in both of these. It is the opinion of the Jedi Council that you be expelled from the Jedi Order."_

 _Varra struggled to hold back her emotions, refusing to let know what she was feeling inside. Being a Jedi was all she ever dreamed of becoming her entire life and now that dream was being taken away from her. Worse, it was being stripped away because of something she didn't even consider to be wrong. How dare they judge her. They weren't there, they didn't understand how bad things were._

" _Your Padawan status will be stripped from you and you shall forfeit all rank and privileges within the Grand Army of the Republic," Master Mundi announced._

" _Normally we pronounce sentencing in this case. However In light of new regulations regarding military protocol, all criminal charges against Padawan Varra Kayne are hereby dismissed," said Windu._

 _Varra expected the Council to expel her. Deep down she knew it was going to happen but she refused to believe it. However, dismissing the charges after disbarring her made no sense. They already considered her guilty, why not go forward with it? Maybe these new regulations was what got the Council all worked up over yesterday._

 _Varra didn't protest or say anything. She simply grabbed the Padawan braid on her head and tugged it off. It hurt like hell but Varra didn't make a sound. She didn't calmly hand the braid over but rather threw it to the floor. It was considered an insult but Varra didn't care anymore. The Council said she wasn't a Jedi anymore so why bother acting like one?_

" _While we cannot prosecute you, that doesn't mean we can allow someone like you to leave the walls of the Temple. Count Dooku has already lost the loyalty of his assassins Asajj Ventress and Savage Oppress. He will search the galaxy for another apprentice. Someone like you," Windu spoke._

" _What?! But I fought against him and the Separatists. I would never join him!" shouted Varra._

" _You also swore you would never fall to the dark side when you took your Initiate vows," Master Tiin accused._

" _That doesn't mean I'll join the Separatists!" pleaded Varra._

" _While our decision is not unanimous, it is final. You will remain in Jedi custody until the end of the war. After Count Dooku and the Separatists are defeated, then the prospect of your release will be reopened," announced Windu._

 _They were going to just lock her up with no charges on the hunch that she might join Dooku? This defied everything the Jedi stood for. You don't lock someone up for something they haven't done. Varra's execution of Krell was technically a violation but Krell admitted he was going to join Dooku and fight the Republic. Varra had no such intentions and yet she was being punished for something she wasn't even going to do._

" _You can't do this!" shouted Varra as her platform lowered back to the ground floor._

" _You're all hypocrites and liars! Your Code doesn't matter to you anymore then it mattered to Krell!" she screamed at them as two Jedi Watchmen grabbed her by the arms and forced her towards the door. It was in that moment that Varra finally learned Krell's final lesson to her. Never trust anyone._

"They just locked her up for nothing?" snapped Ezra. He was starting to question the Jedi's reputation as fair and impartial arbiters of justice.

"Like I said, it wasn't a popular decision. Masters Kenobi, Fisto, Plo, and even Master Yoda all opposed it but the majority of the Council agreed with it. My own master thought Varra should have gotten a medal for what she did," remarked Ahsoka.

"Did they ever let her go?" asked Ezra.

"I don't know. She was still imprisoned even after I was exonerated," sighed Ahsoka.

" _They can't do this to me!" Ahsoka shouted, almost in tears. She had just come from the Council's judgment of her and it was not the decision she was expecting. Not only did the Council believe her to be guilty of treason and expelled her from the Jedi Order. Now she was back in confinement until soldiers of the Republic military arrived to take her into custody._

" _Will you shut up? I'm trying to watch gravball," grumbled Varra in the cell opposite of Ahsoka. The human had no sympathy for the Togruta when she arrived back in her cell. Varra simply gave her an 'I told you so' look then went back to watching the HoloNet._

" _They didn't even care what I had to say. They already made up their minds before I said a word," Ahsoka snapped._

" _Look I get that you're going through an angst phase right now but could you do it in silence?" Varra snapped._

 _Ahsoka sat down on her bunk bed, resting her head in her hands. She felt completely defeated with everything she ever believed was meaningless. The Jedi Council preached about the dangers of corruption and yet they just handed her over to the Senate without putting up a fight. The Council did the politically convenient action rather than the correct one. Ahsoka wasn't expecting them to just let her go but she thought they would at least insist on investigating the charges against me more. Instead they just threw her to the kath hounds._

" _Does anybody still believe you're innocent?" Varra asked. For once, it didn't sound like she was taunting or mocking the Togruta._

 _Ahsoka glanced up. "My master and a few senators but I'm not holding out much hope they can do anything," she said._

" _Well if by some miracle they somehow get you acquitted or prove your innocence, what will you do? Go back to the Jedi?" Varra inquired._

" _I don't know," Ahsoka sighed._

 _Varra got up from her bed and approached the edge of her cell. "Well take my advice for whatever you might think it's worth. If you're found innocent and those schuttas sitting on the Council come begging to have you back, tell them to choke on those padawan braids of theirs'. Being a Jedi used to mean something but not anymore."_

 _Varra turned and sat down back on her bed, leaving Ahsoka to contemplate her words._

* * *

Ahsoka didn't mention Varra's advice to Ezra or that her words were running through Ahsoka's mind the moment the Jedi Council offered to reinstate her in the Jedi Order. When Anakin held up the braid, Ahsoka wanted nothing more than to say yes but couldn't forget what the Council did to her. How could she ever trust in their judgment ever again after what they did to her? So Ahsoka felt the only thing that she could do was to walk away. Anakin was devastated and it broke Ahsoka's heart to see him like that.

They later reconnected after Ahsoka wanted to help retake Mandalore from the clutches of Darth Maul. Anakin gave her old lightsabers back before the battle, hoping that one day he could give them back to her. That was one of the happiest moments of Ahsoka's life to once again be working alongside her mentor, best friend, and big brother all wrapped into one person. But a surprise attack on Coruscant forced Obi-Wan and Anakin to leave. Rex took charge and together with Ahsoka, they managed to take the planet and capture Maul. However, it was during the end of the battle when the clone troopers suddenly turned their weapons on Ahsoka. She managed to fight them off with Rex's help and the two faked their own deaths to allow them to escape the planet. They went their separate ways and Ahsoka wandered the Outer Rim until she met up with Bail Organa who offered her to join a growing rebellion against the Empire.

In a strange way, Varra might actually be the one reason Ahsoka was alive. Had the Togruta not listened and stayed with the Jedi Order, it's possible she might not be alive today. Ahsoka certainly never expected to see her again but was glad at least someone other than herself survived. Even if she could feel the Darkside emanating from Varra right now, Ahsoka knew she wasn't lost. The fact that she risked her life to save the Ghost crew proves there's a little Jedi left in her.

" _Commander Tano, Phoenix squadron, please report to the bridge,"_ was aired over the intercom. Phoenix squadron was the name the crew of the Ghost were assigned and they were quite proud of what it represented. A bird rising from the ashes of death into the light.

"Shall we?" Ahsoka asked.

Ezra nodded and the two headed to the bridge. Hera, Kanan, Zeb, Sabine, and Chopper were all waiting for them along with Commander Sato.

"What's up?" asked Ezra.

"We may have a way to save your friend in sickbay," explained Sato. He pressed a button on the holo-projector in the center of the room, creating a holographic three dimensional image of a droid. While it had no legs, probably moved through the air via repulsors, it did have multiple arms each with a different tool attached at the end. Its head had multiple photoreceptors along with probably numerous sensors along with it. If Ezra had to guess, this was some kind of medical droid.

"This is A-1D, a next generation medical droid capable to treating any form of injury or ailment given the right amount of supplies. Its medical sensors are rivaled only by the most advanced sensors utilized by hospitals that treat the highest ranking Imperials. If we can get our hand on this droid, I believe it will be able to remove the device inside of her," Sato said.

"Not to mention it would help to have that droid treating us instead of those scrap piles we're using right now," muttered Zeb.

"I'm guessing we can't just buy this thing," quipped Sabine.

"Unfortunately they cost almost a hundred thousand credits per unit," answered Sato.

"For a droid?" Ezra asked in disbelief. Chopper grumbled that this particular medical droid was worth more than him.

"Also the units are restricted only to the most secure Imperial medical facilities but there may be a way around that," replied Sato. He pressed a button on the holo controls, switching to a hologram layout of a large flower-shaped space station.

"This is Artanis Station. It's located on a major hyperspace route within the Corporate Sector and is where these droids are manufactured," Sato explained.

"Corporate Sector?" asked Ezra.

"They're a group of several star systems in the Outer Rim united under a single government but independent of the Empire," explained Kanan.

"Still they're not our friends. The Corporate Sector is where the Empire gets a large number of its fighters and weapons manufactured," remarked Hera.

"Artanis Station is a massive manufacturing plant for ships, fighters, weapons, droids, and whatever else it's operators can sell. The good news is that the station is big and has a lot of traffic coming to and from it at all times. However security will be tight. Most of their security personal is comprised of veterans of the Clone Wars and thousands of security droids," Sato reported.

"Sounds like a piece of cake," joked Zeb.

"I can't afford to send any of my men on such a dangerous mission. It'll be up to you and your team Captain Hera if you want to pull this off," Sato said.

"She risked herself to save us so we're in," Kanan spoke. Sabine, Hera, Zeb, Ezra, and even Chopper nodded in agreement.

"I'll go too," Ahsoka said. The Ghost crew all gave her a surprised look. "It's about time I did some field work," she added.

"Very well. Best of luck to all of you," Sato spoke.

(After all the action scenes in the last chapter, I needed a break from them so I decided to make this a mostly flashback chapter to finally explain some things regarding Varra's past. Writing the scenes with the Jedi Council wasn't easy as I had to make them do something horrible and yet make it seem like in a way they were doing it for the right reasons. And as I stated earlier in the chapter Kenobi, Yoda, Plo Koon, and Fisto were all opposed to it but the Council don't make their choices via unanimous decision. It's majority rules.)


	18. Chapter 18

Rance couldn't believe how much hassle he had with this latest job. First it was a delay with docking with the station then problems with unloading his salvage and now his fence, a Dressellian named Brice, was late to their meeting. The last thing Rance wanted to do was sit around especially with his latest catch. Salvaging was a difficult job with most finds nothing more than junk that barely keeps your ship able to fly. Rance's luck had been down for a while but now it was finally turning around.

Getting a tip about a wreck within Arkanis sector, Rance managed to find the remains of a Republic military transport. It had clearly been in a battle with heavy damage and probably just managed to jump to hyperspace in time to escape. An inspection of the ship revealed a destroyed communications array and the engines themselves were also beyond repairs. It was a miracle it managed to make a hyperspace when it did. The inside of the vessel was a tomb as the corpses of the crew along with scrap metal of the Separatist droids who invaded the ship. There were no survivors and that meant no one would come looking for them.

Rance was pleasantly surprised when he analyzed the ship's logs and found out the crew was transporting important cargo to a military research outpost. That meant valuable supplies that would be worth a fortune on the black market. His old clunker of a ship could transport all the cargo so he planned on making a return trip after he unloaded the supplies he could fit. That was if Brice would actually show up.

"Rance! You better not be wasting my time again!" snapped Brice as the old Dressellian stormed inside the cargo bay with his astromech P4-D8.

"Oh I guarantee you will be paying top dollar for what I've got," smiled Rance. He led them back to his ship where a large cargo droid was unloading some of the salvage from Rance's find. Several crates containing portable power generators, military food rations, and a few sets of DC-15 blaster rifles.

"See? Now this has got to be worth something," Rance said proudly.

"Depends if this stuff actually works," muttered Bric. He walked up to the power generators and tested them one by one. To Rance's pleasure…and relief….the machines all lite up one by one with any problem. Normally most machines he salvages break down or blow up when he turns them.

"These generators are a little outdated but they're still worth a good deal of credits to the right buyer," Bric commented. That was music to Rance's ears.

Brice glanced at the food rations and shrugged, "There's always some desperate idiot willing to buy that disgusting crap."

He then grabbed one of the blaster rifles and removed its power cell to examine it. "Still in good condition. These kind of military rifles are always in demand somewhere in the galaxy," Brice commented.

Things were getting better and better and now it was time to top it all off. Rance pointed to a small crate at the end. "That crate right there contains a Republic mobile data storage drive. From what I hear, the Republic Navy used them to store the backups to all their files of their primary ship computers. No telling what kind of interesting classified secrets might be inside," he said.

"Rance I can't believe I'm saying this but you might have brought in the best haul I've ever seen," laughed Brice. The Republic might no longer exist but classified information was still worth its weight in credit chips to the right buyer.

Brice turned to his astromech droid. "P4, access that drive and see what's inside," he ordered.

The droid beeped in response as it rolled up to the crate. Using its maintenance arms, it opened the crate and pulled out the box-shaped drive. It plugged in its data probe into the drive's access port. Brice and Rance waited as the droid shifted through the electronic contents. Suddenly, P4 went dark as its systems shut down.

"What the?!" Brice shouted as he stormed over the droid and hit the unit's reset button. P4 reactivated, its lights giving off a strange green glow before returning to their normal colors. "This is no time for a nap you sorry excuse for a light switch. Now tell me what's on that drive," demanded Brice.

Whatever P4 said, it was clear that Brice was not happy. "Empty?! You have got to be kidding me," he grumbled.

Rance groaned wordlessly. That drive would have brought in a lot of credits if it still had anything useful on it. The officers onboard must have purged it to prevent the Separatists from accessing anything useful.

"Whatever. Have the loading droids prep that for transport to my cargo bay. I'll take all of this…even the drive," Brice muttered.

* * *

The blue waves of hyperspace morphed into total darkness as the Ghost dropped out into normal space. A massive flower-shaped station loomed in the distance orbiting an orange gas giant. Ezra knew the station would be large but reading about it and seeing it were too different things. Just one of the pedal-shaped portions of the structure easily dwarfed an Imperial Star Destroyer. Hundreds of ships of various makes, models, and sizes originating from every corner of the galaxy exited and entered the countless hangar bays.

Artanis Station wasn't just the largest space station in the Corporate Sector but also one of the largest in the Outer Rim. It was the most important trading hub in the region, being situated on the primary hyperspace route that included all the major planets in the sector. Artanis wasn't just a massive manufacturing center, it was also where every nearby major manufacturing planet sent their products to be shipped to the greater galaxy. This is why there was more traffic going in and out of the station than in any other space station in the Outer Rim.

After uploading a Hera received landing clearance into a massive hanger bay. The large room had numerous slots fitted along the walls to land along with yellow landing marks on the floor so it could be utilized as well. It was a good thing too because virtually every space and slot were occupied. Hundreds of individuals and droids scurried throughout the room, unloading and loading cargo. Fuel lines longer than most ships were stretched all over the hanger, refueling almost each ship parked inside.

After Hera brought the Ghost down on an empty landing spot, the crew disembarked. A utility droid on wheels rolled up to their ship, directing fuel lines into the Ghost's engines. Hera had purchased not only a landing ticket just before they landed but also to refuel the ship.

The crew waited until they were out of earshot from any droid or personal before talking. "Now remember this is a stealth mission. We're here to pick up that droid and leave as quickly and quietly as possible. Don't do anything to draw attention," Hera reminded the crew.

"Wow. I never thought they'd make anything in space this big," remarked Ezra, glancing around the hangar bay which was only one of many.

"If you ever make it to Coruscant, you might be surprised to see there are several buildings that would dwarf this station," Ahsoka smiled. The Jedi volunteering to join them was unexpected but welcome.

"So how do we find this droid?" asked Sabine.

"We'll get Chopper to plug into an access terminal and find out what we need to know," explained Kanan.

"That Inquisitor better give us one heck of a thank you for this," grumbled Zeb.

"Having second thoughts Zeb?" frowned Kanan.

"No. She saved our necks so I'll gladly return the favor but for something this, she better at least drop the attitude," replied Zeb.

"Yeah I don't see that happening," chuckled Ezra.

They reached an access point into a corridor and made sure no one was paying attention as Chopper plugged into a terminal. He displayed a 3D holographic layout of the entire station as he explained to Hera all the necessary information. Since not everyone could speak droid, she acted as the translator. Ezra could understand the astromech just fine but allowed the Captain to explain everything.

"The droid we're after is manufactured in the Medical Consumer sector of the station," Hera explained. A red dot appeared on one of the station's pedals.

"Security will be tight but we may be able to bypass them by hitting this instead. Chopper discovered that one of those droids is being shipped out today to an Imperial outpost and is currently awaiting pickup in a storage bay here," Hera continued. A smaller yellow dot appeared close to the larger red one.

"Perfect. All ready and waiting for us to come and get," smiled Zeb.

"It may not be as well guarded as the manufacturing plant but I doubt we can just walk in," commented Ahsoka.

"That's why Chopper suggests we alter the shipping records and have the station personal deliver the droid directly to us. By the time they realize what's happening, we'll be long gone," smiled Hera.

"Okay but what's the catch because there always is," Sabine inquired.

"Chopper can access the shipping records here but can't modify them. He'll need to find a console in one of the stations primary processing hubs to do that and those will be guarded," answered Hera.

"Then we'll split up and scout out different hubs. Check out their security but nothing else. Once we figure out which one has the most lax security then we'll figure out how to get inside it," suggested Kanan.

* * *

Rance was celebrating his good fortune by downing another shot at his favorite bar on Artanis. The Sarlac Pit was named after a legendary beast on Tatooine and clearly the owner wanted everyone to know it was based on that. A large hole filled with teeth and tentacles decorated the ceiling. The tendrils extended to the bar stools were they were used as tubes to fill up customers drinks. It seemed a little over the top for Rance's taste but the beverages here were second to none. A Bith band played music in the background while a wide array of humans, Twi'leks, Trandoshans, Gamorreans, and various other species all drank and shouted at holo screens of the latest gravball game.

Rance was cheering as the Alderaan Thrantas were in the lead over Corellia Ground-Pounders. The Corellians were always the odds on favorite to win almost every game so seeing them lose brought a smile to Rance's face. Looks like the universe swapped away the Ground-Pounders' luck and gave it all to Rance. He'd already made a good fortune and he still had one more delivery to make with that wreckage.

Rance tried to ignore his com unit which had been beeping non-stop for the past minute but whoever was calling wasn't taking the hint. Irritated at missing the game, Rance finally tapped the response button. "What?" he snapped.

"Rance! Where are my droids?" demanded Brice over the com.

"What are you talking about?" frowned Rance.

"I sent my cargo droids to pick up your crap but now they've overdue and aren't responding to my transmissions," answered an irritated Brice.

"I haven't seen 'em," shrugged Rance.

"Well get back to the loading bay and help me find them. Until that stuff is in my cargo bay, I'm not transferring a single credit into your account," threatened Brice.

Grumbling, Rance got to his feet and made his way down to the loading bay. It took him half an hour to get back to his ship and to his surprise, all of his cargo was still was waiting for pickup. Brice wasn't kidding when he said something was wrong with his droids. It wasn't a large load, the stupid machines should have already delivered this stuff by now.

"Brice? You down here?" Rance called out as he searched around the loading bay. His ship wasn't the only one parked in the large room but it was strangely quiet. In fact he hadn't seen a single other person since he got back. He's never seen this place so quiet.

"Brice?" Rance shouted. He was starting to get a really bad feeling.

He came to a turn to bypass a large stack of cargo containers and instantly stopped. Around the corner, a loading droid was forcibly grabbing an R5 astromech as it tried to flee. It then lifted the smaller droid off its wheels and injected a data probe. The R5 unit's lights flashed green then the loading droid set the astromech droid down, allowing it to leave. Rance couldn't help but be reminded of what happened when P4 accessed that empty data drive.

The loader droid lumbered off and Rance almost screamed when he saw what had been lying on the ground, obscured by the struggle between the two droids. Brice's bloody body was slumped on the floor with a large hole in his chest as if something just punched right through it.

Rance backed away and then turned right into a metal face with green eyes. The loader droid emitted some kind of screech and swung out its arms. Rance screamed as the metallic arms grasped him by the head.

* * *

Never in Ezra's life had he seen so many people of so many different species. Humans, Twi'leks, Rodians, Weequay, Kel Dor, Iridonians, and those were just the ones that Ezra could recognize. Some were completely different from any other humanoids. For example, a squid like creature with one large eye seemed to swim through the air. The fact that no one paid it even a secondary glance at it passed by indicated everyone around here was used to the sight of it. Another being that stood out was a large yellowish orange bipedal with tusks on its chin. It easily towered over everyone around it but no one seemed to mind him any more than any other strange looking aliens.

Ezra was assigned to check a processing hub near the Concourse Sector and was starting to think that maybe that was a mistake. The Concourse was a massive open spaced market that covered a room larger than the hangar bay of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Hundreds of stalls and vendors were littered across the vast expanse selling everything from food, weapons, droids, speeders, and even slaves. Ezra was revolted when he passed by a slave auction and wanted so badly to pull out his lightsaber and cut everyone free. But that would only cause ruckus that could jeopardize the entire mission as well as Varra's life. If they didn't get that droid back to the fleet, the former Inquisitor was as good as dead.

The processing hub was just outside the Concourse and while foot traffic near it would be extensive, that could work to Ezra's advantage. He easily slip in and out without drawing too much attention. After all, security won't be looking at a sixteen year old as a threat. Numerous security droids patrolled in groups of three through the sector. Using droids with combat capabilities was frowned upon ever since the end of the Clone Wars but there were still plenty of colonies and corporations that used them to make up for lack of manpower.

Artanis Station used the same model for their security bots. Metallic chrome-colored bipedals with a single yellow glowing eye and carried E-11 blaster rifles, the same standard weapon as an Imperial Stormtrooper. They didn't look that tough but they lacked in strength, they more than made up in numbers. The droids easily numbered in the hundreds just in the Concourse Sector and no telling how many more were all over Artanis. All the more reason not to cause any trouble. Fighting through a station filled with thousands of battle droids after you was suicide even for a Jedi.

Ezra exited the massive market and entered a corridor, keeping his head down as several security droids marched by him. He glanced at his side as he passed by the hub entrance. There was no guards standing outside but that didn't mean there weren't hidden cameras watching it. He came to a halt at a junction intersection and hide around a corner. Ezra waited until a human male approached the security door and inserted a data cylinder into a nearby small terminal on the wall. A green light flashed on the terminal and the security door swung open, allowing the man to enter.

So they used the standard data cylinder security protocols that the Imperials use. That meant in order to get inside, you needed the right cylinder with the proper clearance. Fortunately, that wouldn't be a problem as Ezra could simply wait until someone leaves from there and pick pocket their cylinder. Then the Ghost crew could simply waltz right inside. It was a solid plan so Ezra waited…and waited. Minutes ticked by and Ezra realized someone may not be coming out for a while. Kanan's lessons about patience were starting to seem a lot more relevant.

Ezra lost track of time as he waited impatiently for anyone to emerge from the hub.

" _Spectre 6 report,"_ Hera's voice came over the comlink.

"The hub near the Concourse Sector doesn't seem heavily guarded," replied Ezra.

" _Keep an eye out on it then Spectre 6. Not everyone's reported in yet so we'll wait to be certain there's not an easier target first before doing anything else,"_ said Hera. The hub entrance opened as a human male stepped outside. He wasn't the same man as before but he did have a code cylinder hanging out of the side of his pocket. This was going to be too easy.

"Understood. Spectre 6 out," Ezra said. He neglected to mention that he was about to snatch a code cylinder to Hera because she'd tell him not to but Ezra wanted this mission to be over as fast as possible. Even in a coma, Varra's condition was deteriorating and wouldn't last much longer. They needed to get that droid as fast as possible.

Ezra followed the human down the corridor, closing the distance. The employee was heading away from the Concourse Sector, meaning foot traffic would diminish. That would make pick-pocketing the cylinder a little more difficult but it's nothing Ezra couldn't handle. Once he was within arm's reach, his hand slowly moved closer to employee's pocket. The man was completely unaware as Ezra slowly removed the cylinder. Then all of a sudden, the employee came to a halt causing Ezra to walk right into him. A Trandoshan passed by as Ezra realized the human had stopped to avoid a collision unlike the Jedi Padawan.

The employee turned and glared at Ezra. "Watch it kid," he growled.

"So sorry," Ezra smiled innocently, breathing a sigh of relief that he managed to snatch the cylinder and hide it behind his back before his little accident. He thought he was in the clear until he noticed the employee wasn't walking away. The human's eyes narrowed, giving Ezra a second glance.

"Wait a second I've seen your face on the HoloNet…you're one of those terrorists on Lothal," the man realized.

Realizing he was busted, Ezra quickly grabbed his lightsaber to stun the man but he was too quick. Before Ezra could do anything, his lightsaber was swatted away and he was tackled to the floor. The employee pinned him down, keeping Ezra restrained as he activated his wrist com. "Security to Level Blue. Concourse Sector Corridor A-5. We have a wanted terrorist onboard this station," he reported.

Ezra focused his mind and imagined the Force gathering around him. He sent out a burst of telekinesis that knocked the employee off of him. Stretching out his hands, Ezra summoned his lightsaber to him and turned quick enough to blast his opponent with a stun shot before he retaliate. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ezra started to walk away when suddenly a klaxon went off overhead.

"SECURITY ALERT! SECURITY ALERT! LEVEL BLUE NOW ON HIGH ALERT!" an electronic voice announced as red lights began flashing along the corridors.

"Way to go Bridger," Ezra muttered to himself. He took off running, hoping to get back to the Concourse and get lost in the crowd. That plan hit a snag when he saw a blast door ahead of him closing, cutting off his escape. Ezra checked a nearby wall terminal but the controls were locked out. There's no way he was getting through here except with a lightsaber.

" _Spectre 6 a security alert is now in effect in your area,"_ Hera reported.

"Yeah I noticed," Ezra replied with a gulp.

" _What happened?"_ sighed Hera, probably able to figure out Ezra's guilt from the tone in his voice.

"Someone recognized me and called security before I could get away," Ezra explained.

" _Get out of there. Spectre 5 is the closest to you but it'll take her time to reach your location,"_ spoke Hera.

"I'll manage. Spectre 6 out," Ezra said before cutting the transmission. He ignited his lightsaber and started cutting through the door. It would be obvious to security where he was going if he did this but better to be on the move then staying here. He pulled out his lightsaber, causing the circular portion of the blast door he cut to collapse to the floor. He ducked through the newly cut open hole into an access hallway.

Ezra could hear shouting as he made his way back to the Concourse. He turned a corner and stopped in his tracks. A squad of four security officers was directly in his path. They froze, eyes locked onto Ezra. "That's him!" one of them shouted.

Ezra turned and bolted. The sound of footsteps followed him as the officials gave chase. He turned corner after corner, hoping to lose them but he could still hear his pursuers right behind him. Ezra thought his luck was holding until turned another corner and came to a halt. Nothing but a dead end hallway with a few cargo crates set off to the sides. Hiding wasn't an option as the guards saw him running down here. Running back wasn't an option so Ezra quickly took cover behind a crate to hold his ground.

"Uhh…I might need you to hurry Spectre 5," whispered Ezra into his com.

" _I'm still a few minutes away from your position Spectre 6,"_ replied Sabine.

"Come on out kid! You've got nowhere to go!" a voice shouted into the hallway.

Ezra pulled out his lightsaber, knowing he was going to have to stand his ground. He took a quick peek around cover to see the guards slowly approaching. Ezra activated the stun setting and stood up, firing several stun bolts. One guard was hit, dropping him to the floor immediately. The remaining three quickly took cover and returned fire with their own weapons, forcing Ezra to duck back down. He hadn't planned on using his lightsaber on this mission as it would draw too much attention but it seemed that was inevitable at this point.

A series of clanking caught his attention. It sounded like metallic footsteps marching in unison and they were getting closer. "Last chance kid. You can do this the easy way or the hard way," one of the guards warned.

Ezra glanced briefly around cover to see at least seven security droids had arrived and one of the guards had managed to grab the unconscious one to safety. If Ezra wasn't in trouble before, he was now. Fighting his way out of here wasn't an option as he was too heavily outnumbered but Ezra didn't relish the idea of getting captured either. Having Kanan and the others rescue him would only make getting that droid they needed to save Varra even harder. Maybe Ezra couldn't beat them but he could hold them off long enough for Sabine to arrive.

"Up yours schutta," Ezra called out his answer.

"Droids set for stun and take him alive," the head security officer ordered. The droids made no move, ignoring his commands.

"Are you deaf you worthless scrapheaps? I said take him down!" the officer shouted.

The droids suddenly turned their weapons on the security officers, catching them and Ezra completely by surprise. None of them had a chance to reply before the droids opened fire, killing the three conscious guards and executing the unconscious one with a head shot. What in the Force just happened? Those droids just murdered people they were supposed to be taking orders from and Ezra doubted they did it to help him.

Sure enough, the droids were turning their weapons to the Jedi Padawan. Well if that's how it's going to be, Ezra's not going down without a fight. The droids were probably going to rush him anyways so staying in cover was pointless. He ignited his lightsaber and stood up, ready to fight his way out or going down swinging. Ezra expected blaster fire the second the droids spotted him but instead they did something even more shocking then executing the guards. The droids simply lowered their weapons, turned, and marched away.

Ezra stood in the hallway alone and completely baffled. The droids just left him alone? None of this made any sense. He activated his com, connecting to Hera. "Spectre 2, did Spectre 3 managed to modify any security droids?" he asked.

" _Negative Spectre 6. You had us all worried there for a minute. What's your situation?"_ replied Hera.

"Honestly I have no idea," admitted Ezra as he made his way down the hallway, past the corpses and back towards the Concourse.

" _What is that supposed to mean?"_ asked Hera.

Ezra breathed a sigh of relief as he found the entrance to the Concourse. Hopefully now he could find a good place to hide until Sabine showed up. He hit a button on a nearby console, causing the metallic door to ascend into the ceiling.

Immediately, Ezra was nearly overwhelmed by the screams and sounds of blaster fire. Pavilion stands burned and corpses lay on the ground with blaster wounds on their chests. It wasn't just the sights and sounds of death but also the fear and pain that emanated through the Force. Ezra could feel death all around him so strong that he nearly vomited. He stepped into the massive room, horrified by what he was witnessing.

Ezra heard a scream and turned his head to see a female blue-skinned Pantoran rushing for her life before being shot in the back by blaster bolts. Her killers, a group of security droids, turned and marched away. What happened in the hallway Ezra had been trapped in wasn't an isolated incident. Now the droids were killing everyone and everything in their path. This wasn't a hostile takeover of some foreign invaders trying to take the station by force, it was just mass slaughter. Judging from the corpses, the droids had spared no one. They killed everyone regardless of species, age, or sex. Even the corpses of a human child was seen clenching onto a human woman, probably his mother, in a death grip as they were probably gun down

"Kanan…Hera…they…" gasped a horrified Ezra.

" _Spectre 6 what's going on?"_ demanded a worried Hera, probably knowing something was bad just from Ezra not using their codenames.

"They're killing…everyone. The droids are killing everyone," whispered Ezra.

(I wanted this chapter to be longer but I'm having trouble with the second half of this arc and I figured people would want half of something now rather than wait any longer. You might have noticed the droids didn't kill Ezra and there's a reason for this.)


	19. Chapter 19

(Apologies for the long delay. I have no excuse but I hope I can make it up to you all by making this a very long chapter.)

"Wait Spectre 6 can you say that again?" Hera spoke into her com, certain she heard wrong. Ezra sounded distraught saying that droids were killing everyone but she just asked Chopper if anything seemed wrong. The little droid was hooked into a data line monitoring the station and while he couldn't access security systems, he would be able to tell if a general alarm had been issued. According to Chopper, there wasn't a single security alert on the entire station.

" _The security droids are gunning everyone down. They're massacring everyone!"_ Ezra shouted.

"Get out of there Spectre 6," Hera ordered. She wasn't sure what was going on but didn't intend on letting Ezra getting caught in the middle of it.

" _I can't stand by and let this happen,"_ Ezra protested.

"Ezra there are thousands of security droids on this station. If something's wrong with some of them, all of them could be dangerous. There's too many of them to fight. Just keep your head down and get to safety," Hera insisted.

" _Holy…!"_ Sabine's voice shouted through the coms along with the sound of blaster fire.

"Spectre 5 what's going on?!" Hera shouted.

" _I'm in the Concourse Sector Tram Station trying to get to Spectre 6. The security droids are shooting everything that moves_!" Sabine shouted.

"Do you need backup?" asked Hera.

" _Well it certainly wouldn't hurt,"_ muttered Sabine.

" _I'm not far from the tram station. I'll be there soon,"_ radioed Ezra.

" _Spectre 2 this is Fulcrum. I'm at the Medical Sector and it's under attack by the station's own security droids,"_ reported Ahsoka.

" _This is Spectre 4! The clankers on the Industrial Sector have gone nuts! They're attacking everything that moves!"_ shouted Zeb.

" _This is Spectre 1. The droids in the Residential Sector are massacring security personal and civilians. What's going on?"_ Kanan's voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of screams and blaster fire on his end.

Hera was stunned. The sudden chaos that struck the station happened so fast that she almost couldn't believe it was happening. What in the galaxy was going on here? "Everyone fall back to the Ghost," she ordered.

" _But what about the droid we need? If we don't get, Varra will die_!" Ezra protested.

"It's too dangerous Spectre 6. We need to get out of here," sighed Hera. She didn't want to run but she couldn't just risk the lives of her crew to be in this disaster.

Chopper screamed out a digitized warning. Hera turned to see two security droids approaching them. She reached for her blaster on her belt but one of the droids rushed her. It managed to swat the blaster out of Hera's hand before she could fire and knocked her to the ground. The other droid grabbed Chopper but the astromech droid ignited his thrusters, launching both droids into the air. The taller security droids' head was slammed into the ceiling, crushing it. Chopper directed his fall to land directly on top of the other security droid before he attacked Hera further. Chopper then used his pincers to grasp a power line on the back of the other droid's neck and ripped it out, shutting it down.

"What would I do without you?" smirked Hera.

Chopper implied that such a thought would have made him shutter if he could actually feel chills.

* * *

Ahsoka ducked as energy bolts passed over her head. She pushed and shoved her way through a crowd that was rushing against, struggling to get away from the mass murder taking place before them. A few minutes ago, everything was fine in the Medical Sector then suddenly dozens of security droids turned their weapons on the live security guards. Ahsoka couldn't help but feel it was methodical, killing the one group of people with the best set of weapons. Normal civilians were allowed to carry blasters but not the rifles that security carried. With them out of the way, the droid then began shooting everybody else.

Panic ensued as everyone scrambled towards whatever exit they could to get away from the carnage. Ahsoka was the only rushing towards it. She pulled out her lightsabers and ignited them. She had hoped not to use them but she couldn't allow such slaughter to continue. She leaped over the crowd who didn't even seem to notice her. Ahsoka held up her blades, deflecting blaster fire away from the crowd and catching the droid's attention.

Then something happened she wasn't expecting, the droid's red optic eyes flashed green and they all lowered their weapons.

* * *

Kanan shoved a female Duros to cover as he fired his DL-18 blaster. The madness just happened so fast that it caught him completely by surprise. One minute he was simply strolling through the Residential Sector when the security droids starting shooting people. There was no reason for it, no signs the machines were malfunctioning. They just raised their weapons and opened fire. Kanan managed to blast several droids them, saving what people he could but it was a drop in the bucket. Dozens were being slaughtered by the second and the droids showed no mercy to anyone regardless of age or species.

The bucket heads then turned their attention to Kanan, obviously deciding he was the biggest threat and needed to be eliminated first. Jarus decided to throw caution to the wind and pulled out his lightsaber. The droids' optics changed to green and then they all stopped firing.

* * *

Ezra was rushing towards the Tram Station, hoping to aide Sabine who under fire, when his com went off.

" _This is Fulcrum. The droids just stopped attacking me,"_ Ahsoka reported.

" _Yeah same here,"_ replied Kanan.

" _Well they're still trying to kill me!"_ shouted Zeb accompanied by the sounds of blaster fire.

" _Any idea why?"_ inquired Hera.

" _They stopped shooting the second I pulled out my lightsaber,"_ answered Kanan. That was surprising then Ezra remembered that the droids didn't attack him after they saw his lightsaber. He had no clue why exactly they wouldn't attack a Jedi but hopefully the crew could take advantage of that.

" _Same thing happened to me,"_ added Ahsoka.

" _Well that's not going to help me!"_ snapped Zeb.

" _Hang on buddy. I'm on my way,"_ Kanan radioed.

Ezra reached the Tram Station where dozens of security droids were all converging fire on a single metallic crate. It didn't take a Jedi Master to know that's where Sabine was. Now Ezra knew he wouldn't stand a chance blocking all of these droid's shot, he was still a Padawan after all. But if these things won't shoot a Jedi then maybe he won't have to. Ezra dashed in front of the crate and ignited his lightsaber.

"Ezra what are you…?!" shouted Sabine.

Instantly, the droids lowered their weapons with their optics flashing green. The machines dispersed, moving on.

Sabine stood up from cover, completely baffled. "What in the…" she whispered.

"The droids don't attack anyone they think is a Jedi. Weren't you listening to the com?" asked Ezra.

"Hard to hear with all the droids blasting at me," grumbled Sabine.

"C'mon let's get out of here and stay close. Hopefully the droids won't attack you if they think you're with me," suggested Ezra.

Sabine nodded. She started to head towards the tram line that went to the hangar bay where the Ghost was but stopped when she saw that Ezra wasn't following her. "Ezra where are you going?" she demanded.

"To the Medical Sector. We still need to get that droid," Ezra said firmly.

Klaxons went off overhead. **"Attention! This is a station wide emergency! A mandatory evacuation order is now in effect! Please proceed to the nearest life pod station!"** a digital voice played over loudspeakers.

"Something tells me this is happening all over the station," Sabine sighed. "Ezra are you sure that's a good idea? Look I want to save Sister too. She helped save my life back on that Star Destroyer but we can't help her if we end up dead."

"But the droids won't attack us…well hopefully," Ezra said uncertainly. "If we don't get that droid, Varra's as good as dead."

"The cargo bay will be sealed up and getting inside will take the latest encryption software," protested Sabine.

Ezra held up the data cylinder he stole from an employee earlier. "Hopefully this will get us inside. It can get inside a data hub so hopefully it has security access to the cargo bay as well. And if that doesn't work, my lightsaber should be able to cut through."

Cutting through with a lightsaber hadn't been an option beforehand because it would set off an alarm but with all the chaos going on inside the station, it was doubtful any kind of security would respond.

"I'm guessing Hera and Kanan won't agree with this," remarked Sabine. Ezra shook his head.

"Well then we won't ask for permission," smiled Sabine. Ezra smiled back and the two headed toward the tram line that ran to the Medical Sector. The tram system was on an automatic schedule which hopefully was still running. Ezra was relieved to find the tram still awaiting passengers before it's allotted departure time. His relief turned to horror as he stepped inside and saw dozens of corpses littering the floor. The passengers must have been like womp rats in a bucket for the security droids.

"I don't know if I can do this Ezra," Sabine admitted, glancing at the bodies.

"We escaped from a Star Destroyer, we can do this," Ezra assured her.

"No I mean I don't know if I can just stand around and let more people get killed," Sabine clarified.

"We'll help who we can but we need that droid," Ezra nodded. The doors closed and the tram began to move, picking up speed.

"So her name is Varra?" asked Sabine.

"Huh?" wondered Ezra.

"You called Second Sister Varra," Sabine pointed out.

"Oh I did," Ezra realized.

* * *

When the whole chaos on Artanis started, Kanan at first had trouble moving through the crowds of panicking pedestrians. Now only the evacuation alarms blared, nothing else making a sound creating a haunting eeriness as Kanan headed towards Zeb's position. The situation must be really bad if they were evacuating. Kanan kept his lightsaber out in case he ran across any droids which oddly allowed him to pass by unharmed. Entering the Industrial Sector, he was greeted only by patrolling groups of security droids and the corpses of civilians and security personal.

"Alright here's an obvious question. Why are the droids not attacking anyone with a lightsaber?" Kanan spoke in his com. Seeing all the corpses made him uneasy and he needed someone to distract from all the death he saw and felt within the Force.

" _I think I might know what's going on,"_ Ahsoka replied. _"During the Clone Wars, my master and I were assigned to guard a transport of military scientists. One of them was a computer programmer who had been working on a virus that was designed to spread itself throughout an entire droid army. Once infected, the virus would lay dormant until battle when the droids would turn on the Separatist field commanders and assist the Jedi and Clone Troopers. The reason why I think this virus is behind this is because infected droids display green colors on their lights to identify themselves to Republic forces as friendly. It was also programmed not to attack Jedi or Clones."_

" _Did the programming including massacring civilians?"_ asked Hera.

" _Absolutely not. The virus must have been altered from its original version,"_ Ahsoka answered.

" _Whatever it is, we need to get out of here while we can. Kanan once you get Zeb, get to the nearest airlock. I'll get the Ghost and pick you up. Sabine, Ezra, I want you to do the same. Find an airlock and await pickup,"_ Hera ordered.

" _Uhh…yeah sure we'll get to the nearest airlock,"_ replied Ezra.

"Ezra what did you do?" demanded Kanan, knowing something was up.

" _Who says I did anything?"_ protested Ezra.

"You stuttered. You always stutter before you lie," accused Kanan. Technically the kid was a descent liar, just not when it came to Kanan and Hera.

 _"No I don't!"_ snapped Ezra.

" _We're heading towards the Medical Sector to pick up the very droid we were going to steal anyways,"_ Sabine interrupted. _"The droids aren't attacking us so we should be able to reach the storage bay it's in and drag it to the nearest airlock with ease."_

" _I'm already in the Medical Sector. I'll link up with them,"_ chimed in Ahsoka.

" _Alright fine but if those droids get violent, you get out of there,"_ conceded Hera.

Finally another sound broke through the endless cycling alarm but it was probably worse. Up ahead, he could hear panicked shouts along with the sound of blaster fire probably from survivors fighting for their lives. Well Kanan wasn't going to just stand back and let them get slaughtered. He drew his lightsaber and charged forward.

He turned a corner to find several humans, Twi'leks, and a big angry Lasat retreating from a group of advancing security droids. Without saying a word, Kanan leaped over all of them and held up his lightsaber. The droid's lights turned green and they lowered their weapons.

"What the…?" one of the survivors gasped. While most of them were confused by the sudden cease of hostilities among the droids, at least one was stunned at the sight of a lightsaber.

"Took you long enough," Zeb grumbled.

"You're taking lessons about manners from Second Sister," chuckled Kanan. He was quite amused by the Lasat's annoyed growl.

"They killed my wife!" one of the humans shouted, holding up his blaster.

"No wait!" Kanan shouted. It was too late as the grieving man started opening fire on the droids. Two of them were dropped by blaster fire before the rest of them responded. The green colors vanished and the droids raised their weapons, returning fire. They weren't aiming for Kanan but he jumped in their way, blocking all their shots. Unfortunately, one of the bolts of energy ricocheted off his lightsaber and hit one of the droids in the chest disabling it. It wasn't intentional but the droids didn't seem to care as they now were firing primarily at Kanan. Guess they didn't take too kindly to being shot at and now the droids obviously didn't consider Kanan to be friendly anymore. He was forced to deflect blaster fire as the group fell back.

* * *

" _Guys the droids don't take kindly to being shot at. Someone I saved blasted a few of them and now they're trying to kill all of us,"_ Kanan's voice came through the com as Ezra and Sabine reached the cargo bay. They had passed by a series of droid patrols but none of them attacked so far. They hadn't seen Ahsoka either but as long as the droids were passive, they wouldn't need the help. Ezra's hunch about the data cylinder paid off as it disabled the security lock to the entrance.

" _Get to the nearest life pod and get off the station. The rest of you only attack the droids as a last resort,"_ Hera's voice replied.

"That shouldn't be a problem for us," Sabine remarked as the two entered the cargo bay. It was large open room covered in stacks of cargo crates of various sizes. Some were small enough to be carried in the palm of your hand and some were larger than the Ghost. The red evacuation alarm lights flashed on and off throughout the room, creating an unnerving light show. One thing that had Ezra feeling a bit relieved was he didn't see any droids in the area. That could also be a bad thing though as the medical droid might be gone as well.

"We shouldn't split it up. Just in case there are more droids in here," Ezra stated. Sabine nodded and they headed deeper inside. As if the whole room wasn't eerie enough, aside from the alarms there wasn't another sound in the room. This reminded Ezra of a horror flick he once watched on the HoloNet and as a result didn't get any sleep that night. Some of the crates were open with their contents either stolen or possibly they got up and walked out. They looked like they could have contained droids which probably made this whole place a death trap to any looter.

Ezra and Sabine passed by a large open crate that probably contained a large speeder and it was empty. Judging from the markings on the crate, it contained military hardware bound for the Empire but no specifics. Hopefully they wouldn't run into whatever was inside that.

"Ezra there," Sabine whispered. She pointed to a familiar looking droid that was using its various appendages to open crates. Ezra recognized it as A-1D, the medical droid they came for. If that wasn't good enough, there wasn't another droid in sight. Finally some good news.

"Alright let's switch him off and get him to the nearest airlock," said Ezra.

"We'll need to memory wipe him after we get out of here," Sabine commented. Ezra couldn't argue that. Whatever was wrong with the droids, they couldn't let this spread to the rebel fleet assuming it was some kind of computer virus or worm.

The two approached the droid who instantly spun its head around and raised various medical appendages containing drills, saws, and other sharpened objects. Ezra lifted up his lightsaber and ignited it. The droid's lights changed to green and then it went back to its original business. Sabine simply walked up to the droid and after a quick examination, found the power switch and shut the droid off.

"I guess we didn't really need Ahsoka's help after all," remarked Ezra. He grabbed a nearby grav pallet and pushed it close enough for the two Ghost crew members to pick up the deactivated droid and set it onto it.

Before they could start to push the droid towards the exit, Ezra could hear and feel a loud thud behind him. He turned to see a massive two-legged droid that looked like something out of the Clone Wars. It had a single glowing eye similar to other security droids but that was where the similarities ended. It was much larger than the other droids and was armed to the teeth with a large cannon on its right hand and a globe shaped pod on the other, a missile launcher on it's right shoulder, and a silver metallic frame that looked like it withstand the firepower of an entire Stormtrooper battalion.

"Uhh…hi," Ezra whimpered, holding up his lightsaber. The massive droid's eye was glowing green but then shifted to red.

"I take it back. We need Ahsoka," gulped Ezra.

* * *

Hera hung on for dear life as she rode Chopper across the hanger bay to the Ghost. She had hoped she could reach the ship on foot but that thought vanished the instant she stepped inside the massive room. It was chaos everywhere with people rushing to their ships, knocking each other over and fighting to escape the station as well as droids inside the hangar shooting anything that moved. Those who managed to get to their ships were scrambling to get away they risked crashing into each other. One ship tried to leave too quickly and ended up colliding with another ship with both of them exploding and showering debris all over.

Chopper managed to avoid the explosion and land the two of them next to the Ghost. Thankfully it was untouched and hadn't sustained any damage but there were fueling pipes still connected to the ship.

"Chopper boot up the Ghost now!" Hera shouted before rushing towards the pipes and quickly disconnected them one by one. Several maintenance droids noticed her and quickly rolled towards her, their lights glowing bright red. Hera drew her blaster and shot them down in rapid succession. She had no idea what happened to the droids but Hera and the rest of her crew weren't staying to figure it out.

Hera rushed up the entrance ramp as the Ghost's engines started booting up. Within the blink of an eye, she was in the cockpit and speed checking through her pre-flight. The Ghost lifted off the platform, nearly getting hit by another ship blowing right by it. Hera quickly checked the escape route to see there was now another problem. A docking crane with a claw attachment caught the ship that just past Hera and flung it to the side of the hanger, creating a massive chain reaction explosion among other ships and equipment. The droids must have taken control of it which presented a slight problem. The chain reaction was spreading from ship to ship, threatening to engulf the entire hangar within a matter of moments.

Another ship blew by and once again, the crane caught it and threatened to fling it aside. Hera sprang into action, firing the Ghost's laser cannons at the claw attachment. The blaster fire cut through the crane at its weak point, freeing the ship from its grasp. The chain reaction was expanding throughout the entire hangar so Hera decided to sacrifice the Ghost's paint job by going full throttle right into the freed ship, propelling both of them out of the hangar and into space.

" _Whoever you are, you just saved our lives,"_ a transmission came in through the com. Hera turned the ship around to see the hangar they just escaped completely destroyed. So many people were dying on this station and Hera couldn't save almost any of them. But at least she managed to save these people.

"Glad to have helped," Hera replied.

* * *

Ezra and Sabine dashed behind a stack of cargo containers for cover. The war droid was going homicidal and didn't seem to care that Ezra had been holding a lightsaber. Clearly they did something for the droid to consider them no longer friendly. Probably because they shut A-1D off. Now Ezra understood why there wasn't any security droids guarding the hangar as that metallic behemoth was capable of doing the job by itself. He also realized that killer robot was probably the thing that had been inside that empty cargo container. The two had been forced to leave the deactivated medical droid behind and run for cover under a barrage of blaster fire.

Ezra activated his com, "Ahsoka we could some help here."

A creaking noised caught Sabine and Ezra's attention. They glanced up to see the containers stacks they were hiding behind were starting to tip over. That blasted war droid was pushing the stack right on top of them. The two quickly dashed for safety as the containers came crashing down behind them. The war droid knocked a fallen container aside as it came charging after the rebels.

Ezra tried his best to block incoming blaster fire but the kinetic force behind them was so strong that deflecting one shot away knocked him off his feet. Sabine drew her blasters and fired back. Her blaster bolts bounced harmlessly off the war droid's armor. The droid aimed his blaster cannon for another barrage as Sabine grabbed Ezra and hauled him to his feet. Before the droid could get off a shot, a cargo container went flying past the two humans and hit the droid, knocking it off balance.

Ezra turned to see Ahsoka rushing to their aid. A year ago he would have thought flinging a container that large was impossible by yourself but that was before Ezra learned about the Force. "Get to the nearest airlock. I'll keep him busy," Ahsoka said, drawing her lightsabers.

The war droid knocked the container aside and was aiming with his missile launcher. Ezra saw his life flashing before his eyes as a missile came streaking towards them. With a motion of her hand, Ahsoka sent the projectile back. Ezra thought at first the droid was finished until it held up the pod on its left hand which emitted a bright flash and formed into an energy riot shield. The missile impacted the shield, detonating but causing no damage.

"Ezra Sabine move now!" Ahsoka ordered. She took off running as the war droid turned its attention towards her.

"C'mon we need to grab that droid," Ezra told Sabine. The two scrambled to A-1D as Ahsoka leaped onto a series of stacked containers, not stopping for a second as blaster fire followed in her wake. The war droid fired a missile at the container the Jedi was about to land on. The explosion caused the metal container to buckle. Ahsoka landed on it and was barely able to maintain her balance. The droid fired another missile, this time at the base of the stacks. The container the Togruta was standing on tipped over, causing Ahsoka to lose her balance and fall.

"Ahsoka!" Ezra shouted as the Jedi disappeared from view. The stacks collapsed, hopefully not on top of her.

Sabine finished loading A-1D onto a grav pallet as the war droid turned its attention back to them. "Run!" Sabine shouted.

* * *

It was probably only a few minutes but it felt like hours as Kanan, Zeb, and the others made their way to the nearest airlock. They had been forced to move in a tactical retreat rather than a straight dash to safety. The amount of security droids only seemed to increase the longer the firefight went on. Every time one dropped, three or more would join the fray. They were coming in from almost seemingly every direction, trying to cut off their targets' escape.

"There's too many of them!" one of the survivors shouted.

"We're almost there," Zeb assured as he blasted one droid in the head. He then turned and whispered to Kanan, "We are almost there right?"

Then a new alarm went off. **"Attention. Catastrophic reactor coolant failure detected. Reactor breach is imminent. All personal evacuate immediately. This is not a drill,"** a digitized voice announced.

"A reactor breach?!" Zeb screamed.

"Looks like the droids found an easier and quicker way to kill everyone onboard," remarked Kanan. It had to be the droids responsible. Who else would be causing this especially now of all times?

"Along with themselves," Zeb pointed out. Somehow Kanan doubted the droids cared about their own survival. If they did, they wouldn't attack in waves that focused on overwhelming enemies instead of using more effective basic military assault tactics.

"Spectre 2 you better be waiting for us," Kanan said into his com.

" _Already here Spectre 1. This bus is waiting on you,"_ replied Hera.

The droids were starting to swarm in, marching in massive numbers that reminded Kanan of battles he fought in the Clone Wars. His hands almost started shaking at the realization. Flashbacks ran through his mind, threatening to break his concentration and possibly miss any incoming blaster bolts with his lightsaber. This was the first time he's been in a large battle since he was a child and he couldn't help but think he was back in Mygeeto with Master Depa Billapa, Commander Grey, and Captain Styles.

A hand suddenly gasped him and yanked him around a corner. Kanan turned and was relieved to see it was Zeb. "Are you crazy? You can't take them all on by yourself!" the Lasat snapped.

Kanan realized got a little too focused fighting the droids that he wasn't retreating as fast as the rest of the group. His mind was too caught in the past and that could have gotten him killed.

"C'mon. The airlock's just up ahead," Zeb urged.

The two rushed down the corridor where the other survivors were already bolting through the airlock and onto the Ghost. They probably had no idea whose ship they were boarding but they also probably didn't care. The clanking of the marching droids grew louder as Kanan and Zeb jumped inside.

"We're clear. Go!" Kanan shouted into his com.

* * *

Sabine and Ezra were forced to take cover behind a cargo crate. The war droid wasn't letting them get close to the exit, firing away with its blaster cannon anytime they tried to make a run for it. This was turning into a game of krayt dragon and womp-rat and that never ended well for the womp-rat. As if that wasn't bad enough, they just heard an announcement about an imminent reactor breach. This day just keeps getting better and better.

"Take the droid and get it to the Ghost. I'll distract that oversized rust bucket," Ezra said. He knew Sabine would never agree with that plan but he didn't give her a choice. Just like when she stunned him and had Chopper ferry him to safety back on Lothal, Ezra wasn't going to ask permission to save her life or Varra's. He owed them both and now was the time to pay them back.

"Ezra!" Sabine shouted but he was already gone. The war droids trained its eye on the padawan as he rushed past it.

"C'mon you sorry excuse for a toaster," Ezra mocked it. The droid turned and lumbered after him.

"This was a bad idea," Ezra muttered to himself as he ducked to avoid an energy bolt. Trying to deflect that thing's blaster fire probably wouldn't end well. That cannon arm looked similar to something mounted on a Tie Fighter rather than a simple blaster. Something that size would have so much kinetic force behind that it would probably send Ezra through the wall if he tried to block it.

Movement up ahead caught his eye as he realized something was scaling the cargo stacks. It didn't take long to recognize Ahsoka who was alive and uninjured judging from how fast she was moving. Ezra watched as she dashed along the stacks heading straight towards the war droid. The machine trained its eye on her and raised its energy shield. Ahsoka landed directly on it, bouncing off it behind the droid. The upper half of the war droid's body completely twisted one hundred eighty degrees, preventing Ahsoka from being able to attack it from behind.

That's when Ezra saw decided to act. With the droid's attention on Ahsoka, he could make his move. The Togruta tried to get around the droid but the machine was smart enough not to give Ahsoka an opening which gave Ezra one. He rushed forward as fast as he could, using Kanan's lessons to submerge himself in the Force. Truthfully Ezra wasn't really good at it. Connecting with the Force was actually a lot harder than it sounds. Jedi spent their entire lives training for it. Ezra only had a few months of training but he did have his instincts and they were telling him to strike.

Ezra lifted his lightsaber and leaped forward, bringing his lightsaber down on the blaster cannon arm. The energy blade cut through the weak point at the elbow, serving the cannon and causing it to drop to the floor. The war droid sent out a digitized screech and spun around, nearly hitting Ezra with its now cannon-less hand. It was smart enough to keep its shield directed towards Ahsoka while aiming its missile launcher at close range at the young human that cut off its hand.

Ezra did the only thing he could do, right in-between the droid's legs. The war droid staggered, trying to crush Ezra with its feet but constantly missing as it couldn't get a good look at him. The Jedi Padawan meanwhile was doing his best to avoid becoming a flat cake. He couldn't just run away as he risked getting a missile shot through his chest. Right now he really wished he borrowed some explosives from Sabine. She would just plant a few of them on the legs and take off running before the droid would turn into scrap metal. Ahsoka and Kanan would have turned the legs into Gizka chowder with their lightsabers but Ezra wasn't them. Right now the only thing he was worried about was surviving another second.

While avoiding getting stomped, Ezra noticed several explosive charges landing on the energy shield. They detonated but cause no damage to the droid. Sabine clearly hadn't run and was trying to draw the droid's attention away from Ezra. Then he realized he wasn't the only person who was benefiting from the distraction. Ahsoka dropped from the air few yards away. The war droid twisted to place its shield in front of her as it had been doing already but the Togruta sprinted towards it at an inhuman speed. She dropped to the floor, sliding underneath the shield as it came down to stop her. Then she flipped to her feet, stretching out both her hands with her lightsabers. Ezra quickly ducked as Ahsoka rushed over him, slashing both of the droid's legs as she passed underneath it.

With a motion of her hand, Ahsoka used the Force to send Ezra flying through the air and to safety. The droid staggered, dropping to its knees. It spun around to hit Ahsoka with its shield but she easily leapt over it and landed right on top of the droid. With a quickly motion, she slashed the missile launcher off and stabbed both her lightsabers into the droid's head. It let loose a digitized screech before it fall face first to the floor. Ahsoka rode the droid the ground and then calmly stepped off it.

Ezra couldn't help but be amazed. If Ahsoka was any indication of how powerful the Jedi were then they must have been quite a force to be reckoned with. If Ezra were to only become half that powerful then he'd still become a great Jedi.

"Are you alright?" Ahsoka asked.

"Oh yeah. This stuff happens all the time," Ezra jested.

The Togruta grabbed him by the arm and said, "We need to get out of here now."

The two of them headed towards the exit where Sabine was waiting for them with the medical droid.

"I thought I told you…" Ezra started to say before the Mandalorian punched him square in the jaw.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again Ezra Bridger!" snapped Sabine.

"You two can finish this later. We have to get out of here!" shouted Ahsoka.

" **Warning. Reactor overload in progress. All hands evacuate immediately. This is not a drill,"** an announcement over the PA system spoke.

Ezra grabbed the pallet A-1D was sitting and pushed it through the door with Ahsoka and Sabine right beside him.

" _Spectre 5, Spectre 6, the two of you better be on your way out. Sensors are picking up massive energy fluctuations in the core. The station will blow any second!"_ Hera spoke through the com with an urgent tone. Lights began to flicker and explode from power surges along with the floor beginning to shake.

Up ahead, several security droids blocked their paths. Before they could get off a shot, Ahsoka thrusted out her hands and knocked all of them down with a powerful wave of telekinesis. She then ignited her lightsabers and with a quick series of swipes, several of their heads while they were on the ground and without slowing down.

The shaking was getting worse as they got to the airlock. Thankfully Hera knew ahead of time were the closest airlock to the cargo bay was. The blast doors opened and Kanan stood inside. "C'mon move!" he yelled.

Sabine was in first followed by Ezra with the droid then Ahsoka. The millisecond the Togruta stepped inside, Kanan shut the blast door and shouted, "Hera go!"

Ezra quickly activated the grav pallet's magnetic lock, securing it to the floor and held on as the ship detached from the station and sped off. He rushed out into the cargo bay where several people were strapped in on the bottom level. Clearly Hera picked up a few stragglers before leaving the station but Ezra couldn't fault her for saving a few people. He climbed up the ladder to the upper level and headed to the cockpit.

"Everybody strap in! The station's about to blow!" Hera announced into the com. Ezra quickly leapt into a chair and buckled himself in. Kanan and Sabine quickly them and secured themselves to their chairs. Zeb and Ahsoka were probably in the cargo bay securing themselves there.

The ship suddenly shook violently, signaling Artanis Station's destruction. The shockwave from the explosion was knocking the Ghost around like a Mynock getting blown away from Hurricane-level winds. This felt like the time when the crew just barely escaped the Star Destroyer Sovereign after rescuing Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb only this time Ezra was actually seated in a larger ship and not that cramped Tie Fighter.

The shaking subsided as Hera breathed a sigh of relief. "We're clear," she announced.

* * *

After dropping off the survivors on a safe neutral world, the Ghost crew returned to Commander Sato's flagship Phoenix Home. After memory wiping A-1D, the medical staff uploaded every bit of data they had in their medical computers into it and got Varra prepped for surgery. While the rest of Phoenix squadron decided to pass the time doing other things, Ezra decided to wait outside the med bay. It was probably an hour before one of the doctors exited the room. The surgery was a success and Varra would need a week of bed rest and Bacta treatments before making a full recovery.

The chemicals used to keep Varra in a coma still needed time to break down in her system so she would probably be out for another few hours. So Ezra decided to pass the time by practicing meditation. It was really the only thing he could do in the med bay that the physicians and their new medical droid wouldn't object to. A-1D was already starting to take over the med bay by reorganizing the room, ordering the older med droids around, and requesting Commander Sato order dozens of new medical supplies.

"If you insist on staying, you will remain quiet. Minimal sound disturbances lead to creating a tranquil environment for patients," A-1D explained. That floating can opener could give Chopper a run for his money on being the most annoying droid ever. So Ezra sat down on the floor and cleared him his mind for meditation.

 **Ezra found himself inside a near pitch black room with nothing but a spot light shining down above him. He could see nothing in the darkness but he could hear something. The sound of a respirator taking in air and then expelling it, almost as if it was the sound of something breathing. The darkness was shattered as a crimson blade of energy ignited. Ezra could recognize a lightsaber and though he could see it the weapon itself, he couldn't see who was wielding it. The blade was raised into the air and swung down right at Ezra's head.**

Ezra's eyes snapped open, realizing it was only a vision though nightmare was probably a better description of it. Sweat dripped down his forehead and he was gasping to catch his breath. That dream or vision felt like it was only a few seconds but it was incredibly vivid.

"If you have difficulty maintaining sleep patterns, might I recommend you sleep on an actual bed," A-1D commented as it floated by.

"I wasn't asleep. I was…" Ezra grumbled but decided against explaining what the Force was. To that annoying rust bucket, teaching the Force to it would be like teaching hyperspace physics to a loth cat.

"Pretty sure you don't snore when you're meditating," commented a familiar voice. Ezra's eyes snapped open as he jumped to his feet. He turned to see Varra awake. She was still in bed in a hospital gown along with bandages wrapped around her chest. Thankfully the former Inquisitor wasn't on her feet though it's possible A-1D annoyed her enough into staying put. Then again, if he was really annoying Second Sister then the medical droid would be scrap.

"You're awake!" Ezra said excitedly.

"So I've noticed. I have to say I'm surprised. I figured when they put me under, that was it for me. What happened?" frowned Varra.

"We managed to retrieve him," Ezra explained, pointing to A-1D. "He had the necessary sensors to remove that bomb out of you. After that, they filtered the last of that chemical out of your system."

To say that Varra was surprised was an understatement. She looked like she was in shock, almost speechless. "A droid…there's no way you could simply bought a model like that even on the black market," she commented.

"We stole it before the Imperials could pick him up. Almost got killed in the process but we made it back in one piece," smiled Ezra.

Varra didn't say anything to that. Ezra was a little surprised to see that she looked upset, maybe even angry. Was she embarrassed for needing help? The Ghost Crew already helped before when they got her off Lothal.

"Figured you'd be ecstatic. You don't have to worry about dying anymore and with the Grand Inquisitor gone…" Ezra stated.

"You think that'll stop the Empire from coming after me? There are plenty of other Inquisitors who will jump at the chance to kill me, the Empire will send hunting parties and bounty hunters as well and fighting all of them is the best case scenario," Varra muttered.

"And what's the worst case scenario?" asked Ezra.

"Him," Varra shuttered. Ezra didn't think it was possible for Second Sister to actually look terrified but he could see it in her eyes.

"Well I'm sure we can handle it Varra," Ezra spoke. Varra's eyes widened and her lips curled into a snarl. Ezra quickly realized saying that name was a mistake.

"Don't call me that!" Varra hissed, her words pure venom. "That is not my name. I don't care what that Togruta told you. She doesn't know a thing about me and neither do you. Now get out!"

"Please maintain a quiet environment," A-1D chimed in.

Ezra could tell he really stepped into Bantha poo doo and figured it was best to let Varra cool off. She already seemed wound up after finding out what the others did for her and hearing that name just made things worse. Varra was incredibly hard to understand at times. Was she embarrassed or something else?

Those weren't Ezra's only questions as he left the sick bay. He still didn't understand what happened to the droids on Artanis. It was probably a virus of some kind but there was no clue as to where it originated or why there's been no sign of any infected droids since the destruction of Artanis. It was quite the news story with numerous planets all over the galaxy removing battle droids from their planetary defense forces. The question was what happened on the station an accident or deliberate?

* * *

Wilhuff Tarkin followed Dr. Emerod into his medical laboratory. The Grand Moff had been so busy as of late that he didn't have time to view the scientist's work. Emerod specialized in mechanical enhancements and was considered to be one of the Empire's foremost experts on cybernetics. The doctor had conceived of a new super soldier program that been in the planning stages for years and now it was time to unveil its first real prototype.

Ever since the destruction of the Sovereign over Lothal, Tarkin had stepped up his campaign to expand the Empire's influence in the Outer Rim. He needed to make sure the Emperor knew that he was the right man for the job, especially if he hoped to take control of the Death Star upon its completion. So Tarkin decided to use more extreme measures to ensure his success. He discovered an old droid virus dating back to the Clone Wars. It hadn't been completed until the end of the war, rendering it useless but Tarkin found a way to change that.

During the Clone Wars, a military transport was attacked by a Separatist ship and managed to jump away only to later suffer complete life support failure. The ship had been discovered near the end of the Clone Wars but had remained untouched due to some wanting it to becoming a memorial. It fell into a legal limbo for years even after the formation of the Empire. Salvaging it wasn't a high priority as most of its equipment was considered obsolete by Imperial standards. Still a salvager would just at the chance to claim its contents and that gave Tarkin an idea. He had trusted agents deposited a data core with the virus installed onto the ship and tipped of a local salvager. Sure enough, the fool took the bait and took the ship's contents to Artanis Station.

Tarkin couldn't be sure how quickly the virus spread but the program completed its mission. It had been modified so that any infected droid would kill any many people as possible along with destroying the entire station. Some aspects of its programming couldn't be altered such as its friendly fire system that prevented it from shooting clones or Jedi but the Jedi were nearly extinct and what few remaining clones that were still alive were in retirement. The program also ensured that no infected droid escaped the station to ensure the infection ended there and the results were better than Tarkin had ever hoped for.

Planetary governments all over the galaxy were decommissioning their droid forces after seeing footage of the horrors that had been committed onboard Artanis. Virtually every planetary militia would now be comprised of organic beings. Such armies would be far easier to destroy and conquer rather than thousands of manufactured battle droids.

Emerod showed Tarkin the end results of his project resting on a surgical table. After several failures over the years, they finally had someone who survived the procedure to draft the cybernetic replacements over his body. Tarkin wasn't surprised he survived, the man was a soldier. Though he had been human, he was now a metallic monstrosity in the same vein as Darth Vader though without the Force the Jedi wielded. However he wouldn't need the Force. He was comprised of the most advanced robotics and weapon systems in the entire Empire.

"There may be complications, particularly mental," Emerod warned.

"As long as he does his job, it is a small consolation," remarked Tarkin.

The Grand Moff observed the soldier and asked, "Can you hear me?"

The cyborg turned it's skull shaped mask. "Yes…sir," it spoke with a mechanical voice.

"The rebels who destroyed my ship have gone underground but they will reveal themselves eventually. When they do, I need good soldiers ready to deal with them. I trust you will be one of those soldiers Major Velken," said Tarkin.

(The hardest part of the chapter was writing the dialogue between Ezra and Varra. If anyone was expecting Varra to say thank you, that's not really her character. Next chapter I will go more into detail of how she feels about all of this along with finally getting to Season 2.)


	20. Chapter 20

_Explosions rocked Varra awake. Alarms went off with flashing red lights in the detention hallway. Varra's been held in the Temple Detention Block for almost two years and it was starting to drive her stir crazy. The occasional attack on the Jedi Temple provided her with at least some kind of amusement of boring days of spending time in a holding cell. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one with an axe to grind against the refuse that populate this temple._

" _Don't tell me another Padawan blew up the temple. That's starting to get old," Varra grumbled. The building shook again from another explosion but to Varra that meant nothing. The temple's been attacked twice already. Once by Barriss Offee and another by a separatist terrorist named Rackham Sear. Varra admitted she couldn't help but feel indifferent to the attacks and the people who died in them. Get stuck in a cell for a few years with only the occasional trips to the courtyard to stretch your legs and it doesn't just make you stir crazy but also bitter. Everyone who died in the attacks had freedom, something that had been stolen from Varra so she felt nothing for them._

 _She waited for the attacker to be hunted down and defeated just like always but something was different this time. At first was a minor feeling then suddenly, Varra could feel it in waves that almost threatened to overwhelm her. Jedi were dying by the hundreds, their deaths echoing in the Force. Varra clenched her chest, gasping at the painful sensation. She's felt the death of Jedi before but not this many so quickly. Something was very wrong._

 _Varra rushed to the edge of her cell. "Hey! What's going on out there?!" she shouted._

 _There was no Jedi Temple Guards patrolling the hallway as they normally do. Not a sign of any Jedi in sight aside from the ones stuck in holding cells. Varra was starting to have a very bad feeling. Clearly there was a battle going on within the Temple and she was trapped in a holding cell like a trapped gizka. She paced back and forth impatiently as the battle continued. She couldn't hear what was going on but she could feel it and it wasn't going well for the Jedi. The dead Jedi were creating waves of pain and loss through the Force and their chorus was only growing._

 _The blast door at the end of the detention hallway opened and several Clone Troopers rushed inside. Varra felt a sense of relief. If the clones were here then hopefully the fighting was over._

" _Sir area secured," one of the clone troopers told their sergeant._

" _Get me the manifest," the sergeant ordered._

" _Hey what happened?" a prisoner shouted from his cell. The clones ignored him and everyone else as a trooper arrived with a data pad._

 _The Sergeant skimmed over it then said, "Alright the prisoner in Cell 8 has been designated an asset. Terminate the rest."_

" _Wait what?" a prisoner gasped. Several troopers lined up in front of a cell in firing positions. To Varra's horror, she realized it was a firing squad._

" _Ready!...Aim!..." ordered the Sergeant. The trooper aimed their guns before the ray shield dropped. "…Fire!"_

 _The prisoner screamed before being gunned down. The clones moved onto the next cell, repeating the process of assembling a firing squad, dropping the shield, and shooting the helpless prisoner inside. A panicking Varra backed away into the far corner of her cell, trying to find some way out but she had nowhere to go. Another prisoner screamed before being silenced by the sound of blaster fire._

 _Unlike the other prisoners, Varra had furniture in her cell. It wouldn't provide a good cover from blasters but it was better than nothing. She flipped over her chairs and desk to form a makeshift shield. She hunkered down and waited as the clones moved from cell to cell, executing prisoner after prisoner. When they finally arrived in front of her cell, Varra braced herself._

" _Lord Vader wants this one alive. Set for stun," ordered the Sergeant. The troopers lined up in front of Varra's cell as she realized in her panic that she was in Cell 8. She had known that number ever since she was imprisoned here but that fact slipped her mind upon seeing the clones execute the other prisoners one by one. She had no idea what they wanted her for but Varra had no intention of going quietly._

 _The clones dropped the shield and Varra sprang into action. She used the Force to send her upturned furniture flying out of her cell. The firing line was broken as the troopers were either knocked down and leaping out of the way. Varra rushed outside, knocking one clone trooper down with a leaping knee to the face. Another trooper she caught in a monkey flip and flung him right into a nearby group of three other troopers. They all fell like dominoes._

 _Seeing a chance to get away, Varra dashed to the exit. She tapped the door panel with the blast door ascending to the ceiling._

 _Varra came to a dead stop as she ran right into a group of blaster rifles all pointed at her head by a squad of clone troopers. They must have been kept outside the detention block just in case a prisoner escaped._

" _Fire!" one of the clones shouted before they all pulled their triggers._

* * *

Second Sister's eyes snapped open as her mind returned to the present. Another cursed dream from another life she wished to completely forget. Being stuck on this ship was making her stir crazy but there wasn't a choice in the matter. She still wasn't a hundred percent and wasn't about to leave the protection of this rebel cell. Not with the rest of the Inquisitors, bounty hunters, and who knows what else hunting her after escaping that Star Destroyer. She'd needed to be in perfect health to fend for herself so for now she needed to be patient.

Sister always knew there were more rebels out there but this was the first time she'd really seen one of this scale. Most of them were usually a small cell consisting of dozens of members though there were the occasional large scale rebel factions like the Free Ryloth Movement and the Partisans of Onderon. Even then however, they were still usually confined to a single planet or sector. The rebel cell the Ghost crew had joined had conducted several missions throughout the Outer Rim, never staying in one location too long and always on the move. They were certainly more organized and powerful then she expected and if a former Inquisitor was surprised by this, the Empire probably was too.

Sister never participated in any of their missions having been bedridden for the past few days. Even if she hadn't, she wouldn't waste her time participating in goodwill charity missions or raiding Imperial convoys. As far as Second Sister was concerned, none of this was her problem. The moment she was able to leave, she would on her way back to Nar Shaddaa and laying low. Sister had a momentary weakness agreeing to help Ezra rescue his friends but that was to get help removing the bomb implant in her chest. Ezra got his friends back and Sister got that bomb out of her. She had no reason left to stay with these people. If she could walk on her own, she would have left already.

"Walking around in your condition is ill-advised," A-1D had commented earlier after an unsuccessful attempt by Second Sister to stand on her own two feet. That babbling medical droid was starting to drive her crazy. Whether it was insisting she consume nutrient rations that tasted like Gamorrean brains or playing irritating music which that mechanical junk pile considered to be soothing. If Sister didn't need that rust bucket to finish her treatment, she would have smashed it into bits.

It didn't help that there wasn't much for her do around here. Reading news from the HoloNet on a data pad was incredibly boring. Half the stories weren't true and the other half had been censored so much by the Imperial Ministry of Information that they might as well be. Also she hadn't really had visitors though that was more of Sister's doing than anything else. She heard about how the Ghost crew took a little trip to Artanis Station and how they almost got themselves killed getting that annoying medical droid which saved her life. Sister didn't want to see any of them. They were getting too comfortable around her, maybe even somewhat friendly. The worse part was that Sister was getting comfortable around them. She needed to get as far away from here as possible.

In situations like these, Sister would meditate but as of late she's starting to regret it. The Force gave her visions but they were jumbled and didn't make sense. Visions from the Force were often a mess. They could be a glimpse into the future, the past, the present, they could be literal but also metaphorical. Such confusion was why the Jedi didn't read too much into things like prophecy. The problem was that the visions were sending mixed images too broadly open to interpretations. Second Sister wasn't sure what they meant or if they were of any importance. There were images of a spiral stone spire, a glowing pyramid, and so many other things that didn't make any sense. It was frustrating, so much so that Sister preferred to not meditate until her visions became clearer. Assuming that would even happen.

"Heard you don't want any visitors," a familiar voice spoke.

Sister glanced up, seeing Ahsoka Tano entering the med bay. The Togruta had left on some mission before Second Sister woke up from her coma and had been gone the past few days. Sister was partially glad as she didn't want to talk to her anymore then she wanted to talk to anyone else.

"Maybe that's because I keep getting them even when I don't want any visitors," Sister muttered.

"Most people would be glad to have people who care about them," Ahsoka remarked.

"Most people are idiots," grumbled Sister.

Ahsoka chuckled under her breath which only annoyed Second Sister even more. "You haven't changed a bit," The Togruta commented.

"Neither have you. Still fighting for truth, justice, and all that garbage," Sister replied.

"I'm not a Jedi and I doubt I ever will be," Ahsoka stated.

"Now if only the kid and the Jedi wannabe will take the hint. Are you finished?" Sister grumbled. To her annoyance, the Togruta took a seat next to the former Inquisitor's bed. What part of not wanting visitors did no one understand?

"The Inquisitors hunted down Jedi. I'm guessing that means they probably kept a record of all the Jedi they killed and the ones they haven't caught yet," said Ahsoka.

"If you're asking if you're on the list then you can relax. As far as the Empire is concerned, Ahsoka Tano is dead," Sister said.

"That's nice to know but that's not my question. Did Anakin Skywalker survive?" Ahsoka asked. Of course the first thing she'd ask is if her former master is still alive. The one Jedi who actually believed her innocence after being framed for that bombing.

"No. Aside from Grandmaster Yoda and Master Kenobi, all members of the Jedi High Council were killed," answered Sister. Ahsoka was surprised and maybe somewhat relieved. Not that she was happy to hear that her master was gone but to hear that some Jedi Masters escaped the purge.

"Just because they were never found doesn't mean they're still alive. No one's heard from either of them since the fall of the Republic," Sister added.

"Maybe, maybe not but it's something," Ahsoka replied.

"Assuming those two banal-spewing buffoons are even still alive, they would be about as useful against the Empire as a crippled bantha," scoffed Sister.

"You've never seen either of them fight have you?" chuckled Ahsoka.

"Do you see either of them fighting the Empire now? Either they're too scared to show their faces or they died so who cares how good you think they were," Sister mocked. That touched a nerve with Ahsoka judging from her face which Second Sister hoped that would get rid of her.

"I suppose you're right about one thing. They can't help us now," sighed Ahsoka. "You already have a destination in mind once you're recuperated?"

"Nar Shaddaa. That was always my original destination from the moment the Empire turned on me," answered Sister. It wasn't exactly a secret as Hera took her there before Sister changed her mind on helping them. It was still the best place to lay low and stay under the radar.

"And do what? Find a dirty apartment to hide in, wasting away scrounging up credits to live another day and looking over your shoulder the rest of your life until your hair turns white and your muscles wither away? Sounds like a great life," commented Ahsoka.

Sister almost wanted to rip the Togruta's head off for what she was implying. "I am no coward but I am also not stupid enough to fight for a hopeless cause. The only thing you and all your little band of miscreants are going to cause is give the Empire a migraine or two," she hissed.

"We are little but a year ago we were even smaller. A year before that even more so. The Empire doesn't consider us a threat and yet it continues to over expand its resources and manpower while its enemies grow in number and becomes more organized," Ahsoka spoke.

"Spare me the sales pitch," grumbled Sister.

"It's not a sales pitch, it's a job opening. There are not a lot of people who can do what you do left in the galaxy. Even more so willing to fight the Empire. If you run off to Hutt Space, your talents go to waste and you'll lose any chance of getting revenge at the people who betrayed you," explained Ahsoka.

"Revenge? Of all the things you could possibly say, that's the card you're going to pull?" frowned Sister.

"The Empire's never going to stop hunting you and no matter how powerful you think you are, you're still only one person against the most powerful government in the galaxy. The only chance you have is gaining allies. I would have thought you'd realized that after the Ghost crew got you off Lothal," remarked Ahsoka.

"That was a business arraignment and nothing more," sighed an annoyed Sister.

"And saving Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb on the Sovereign was business too?" inquired Ahsoka.

"They're alive and free and there's no longer a bomb in my chest so I'd say we all got what we wanted," grunted Sister.

"You didn't answer my question," realized Ahsoka.

"Because I'm sick of this conversation!" snapped Sister, losing her patience.

"And I'm not here to start a fight," Ahsoka said, raising her hands.

"You expect me to take any of this seriously? Jedi don't tolerate anyone who uses the dark side among their ranks," protested Sister.

"I'm not a Jedi remember? Besides I'm not asking you to join, I'm asking you to keep fighting," Ahsoka replied. The Togruta let those be her parting words as she stood up and left.

"Not asking me to join. What a load of Bantha poodoo," Sister muttered under her breath.

* * *

 _The scent of sulfur burned her nostrils as a breeze of scorching air blew across her face. Ash rained from the sky like snow touched her skin as she stepped onto the endless scorched field. She glanced behind her to see the dark tower spewing smoke out from its fork-shaped spire. She turned her attention back to the fields of ash. Nothing but silence greeted her as she moved across it. Then she heard a moan that might as well have been a whisper. She saw no one and yet the sound didn't fade away. It wasn't her imagination and now it wasn't alone. More sounds emanated from every direction. They were quiet as first but steadily increased in volume and tone. Moans, cries, shrieks of terror and pain all echoed around her. She covered her ears but couldn't keep the sounds out._

" _No please! I'll do anything! Why are you doing this?! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!" was screamed all around her._

 _At first she tried to ignore the sounds but their pleas and accusations continued. She kept walking for what felt like for hours but the voices wouldn't let up. She ran but couldn't escape from them. She turned back to the tower but could no longer see it in sight. Only miles after miles of barren fields of ash._

" _Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!" hundreds of voices shouted at her. She dropped to her knees and screamed, lashing out with the Force. Ash was blown away from her but it didn't silence the voices. Then the ash began to swirl together to form into shapes._

" _Murderer! Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!" the resulting faces that formed screamed at her. She recognized them, taken aback. They surrounded, moving closer. She lashed out with Force once again, dispersing her accusers' forms. Another ash cloud formed into a face. She prepared to attack until she saw it wasn't the face of a ghost._

" _No please!" Ezra shouted. His screams were cut short by a shadow wielding a crimson energy blade. The lightsaber cut through the ash cloud, dispersing Ezra's face into the wind._

* * *

Second Sister sat up, gasping for air. Sweat dripped down her face as she slowly realized it was just a dream or more accurately a nightmare. She glanced around and was grateful the med center was empty. A-1D was currently offline, recharging his power cells. At least that meant she wouldn't have to explain her current state. Sister tried to catch her breath, calming herself down. Why did she have to dream about that place again? Her hands were shaking and adrenaline was pumping through her veins. She wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight.

Sister threw the blanket covering her off and got to her feet. That bed was too comfortable. It felt like she was going to sink right through it. Getting comfortable makes you slack off, lower your guard, and that will get you killed. Especially when you were on the run from the most dangerous people in the galaxy. Second Sister had no doubt that the rest of the Inquisitors were all on her trail, each one of them more than happy to get a chance to kill her. There were probably Imperial agents and bounty hunters after her as well and she would be lucky if they were the only ones gunning for her. As long as he doesn't come after her, Sister had a chance of staying alive.

She exited the med bay, pleased that the hallways were dimmed and empty. It was probably late with only a skeleton crew operating the ship while the rest of the crew slept. Sister needed something to eat so she headed down a corridor she hoped led to the mess hall. She hadn't been out of the med bay before as she didn't need to plus it allowed her to isolate herself from everyone else as much as possible. Sister had avoided conversation with anyone the past next several days. She just wanted to finish healing up and get away from here. Thankfully everyone took the hint and kept their distance, even Ezra.

Sister found the mess hall and was fortunate enough to find it empty. The best food needed time to be cooked and prepared but a ship like this should have food options available at all hours of the day. She decided to just get a plate full of nutritional pasting. It was grey goop they put in military rations. Tasted like womp rat droppings but it kept you healthy enough to keep going during extended combat. Comfort made you lax and gets you killed so she preferred to sleep on the floor rather than a bed as well as eat food that was disgusting rather than taste good.

Sister load a plate filled with grey goop and took a seat among the various empty tables. She was halfway finished with her plate before she heard the entrance opening. She glanced up to see Ezra Bridger stepping inside and judging from the dark circles under his eyes, he probably got as much as sleep as Sister did. He came to a halt upon seeing Second Sister but his hesitation passed as his stomach started to growl.

Neither one of them said anything as Ezra grabbed himself a snack and sat down at a different table. The two hadn't spoken since Sister's outburst upon waking up from her medically induced coma. Ezra hadn't said anything wrong until he said that name. By the Force, Sister couldn't stand being called that cursed name. It brought back all those memories of another life she wished never happened.

"Can't sleep either?" Sister finally spoke up.

Ezra shrugged as he took a bite. "Hard to sleep when the only thing waiting for is nightmares," he replied.

At least Sister could relate to that. "Nightmares…or visions?" she inquired.

"Hard to tell the difference these days," sighed Ezra.

Sister threw him a look. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Keep having the same dream. I feel like I'm somewhere familiar, somewhere I'm comfortable but then it becomes cold and dark. Someone attacks me with a red lightsaber then I wake up," answered Ezra.

"Who was it?" frowned Sister.

"I can never tell. It's always too dark," sighed Ezra.

The two went back to silence as they resumed their early breakfasts. It was becoming a little too awkward for Sister's liking and she couldn't get the thought of that nightmare she experienced earlier out of her head.

"Have you ever considered the Force might be giving you hint?" Sister insinuated.

"What do you mean?" asked Ezra.

"I mean if you stick around here much longer, someone with a lightsaber will probably kill you. You and your crew are no longer a local problem for the regional governor to handle. You showed the Empire after rescuing your friends that you're part of a larger resistance. That means the Empire will send their best agents to hunt you down, including the remaining Inquisitors. The Grand Inquisitor might be dead but that only means there's a power vacuum with their ranks. Every single one of them will use this as an opportunity to fill that vacuum and what better way of proving their worth then by taking down a Jedi, his Padawan, and a rebel cell," Sister pointed out.

"We'll handle them," Ezra said firmly.

"This isn't a game kid," hissed Sister. "There's at least nine Inquisitors left in the galaxy and every last one of them are highly dangerous. You should get out of this hopeless cause while you still can."

"Why do you care? You're leaving soon enough," Ezra grumbled.

"Excuse me?" snapped Sister.

"You get mad at me whenever I ask you about your problems, mock me whenever I try to help, and after me and my friends risked our lives to save you, we don't even get a thank you! You just yell at me to leave you alone so I will!" Ezra snapped. He stormed out of the room, leaving a furious Second Sister.

"Fine get yourself killed!" Sister shouted at him.

* * *

Days passed without another word with Ezra or the crew of the Ghost. They went out on more missions with the latest one ended with them stealing supplies from an Imperial convoy. Sister continued to avoid them and vice versa. Good thing she wasn't sticking around much longer. A-1D gave her a clean bill of health so the only thing left to do was wait to hitch a ride on the first rebel transport to leave the fleet and land on some planet to resupply. Nar Shaddaa was a popular destination for freighter captains in the Outer Rim so finding a ship heading there should be easy enough.

For the moment, Second Sister passed the time by meditating in the equipment storage room. It was small but also out of the way. Only maintenance workers came in to grab some spare parts and none of them ever said a word to the former Inquisitor. She could sense their fear of her every time they stepped in the room which suited her just fine. She preferred to remain alone. Had it been up to her, she would have the Ghost simply take her away already but the ship's been busy lately with one mission after another. It didn't matter though in the end. Soon she'd be on Nar Shaddaa and all of this whole rebellion thing would be behind her. The sooner she could get away from all of this, the better.

All the waiting allowed annoying thoughts to creep their way into Second Sister's mind. Ezra said in his dreams he would be attacked at a place he felt comfortable. At first Sister considered that to be the Ghost. That was his home after all but maybe not the only place he feels comfortable. What about his homeworld of Lothal? Ezra mentioned that he grew up on the streets as an orphan. The world probably still felt like home in some ways to him. It was where he was born, where his parents lived until they were taken by the Empire. It was also the one place the Ghost crew constantly returned to. If anyone wanted to find and kill the rebel cell, they would wait on that planet until their prey surfaced.

Sister was no more certain than ever that if Ezra went back to Lothal that he would die. Her own vision implied that and yet what she could possibly do to stop it? Ezra certainly wasn't going to stay away from his homeworld. Even if Sister somehow managed to convince Kanan and Hera about her vision, the two of them could only keep the boy away from the planet for so long. The kid was headstrong and eventually would get back there to liberate his home from the Empire. So unless Sister planned on abducting him and forcibly taking him to some planet he couldn't escape from, there wasn't much one could do to stop it.

The problem wasn't the fact that Sister didn't think that plan would work but that she actually considered it at all. Why was she going out of her way to help this Lothrat? Sure he helped her back on Lothal and is the only reason the Ghost crew helped her get off the planet but that didn't mean she was beholden to him. He was just a naïve kid who was deluding himself into believing the galaxy was a good place worth fighting for. Truthfully it was just a vast arena of death, misery, and pain. Sister should have just walked away from all of this, especially the kid. No good came from growing attachments towards anyone.

Yet she couldn't get that damned vision she saw out of her head. That cursed planet was on the other side of the galaxy and yet it continued to haunt her. Why did she have to see it again? Sister didn't believe the Force had a will anymore then gravity did. It was just a fundamental force of the galaxy. Yet it did allow those susceptible to it to do things no other living thing could do as well as see and feel things outside of themselves. Maybe it wasn't really the Force trying to tell her something but rather Sister's own subconscious wanting to know what would happen to him.

Second Sister couldn't believe her own thoughts. As if Ezra Bridger was actually worth all this trouble or pondering over. He was just a kid who aided her and the simple truth was she didn't need him anymore.

The exit opened, letting in a flood of light. Sister kept the lighting to a minimum to allow herself an easier time to meditate. Also it made the room seem uninviting to anyone who stepped inside. The ship's crew knew Sister was in here and it helped to unnerve them that she preferred the darkness to the light.

Ezra stepped inside the room, not able to see its occupant while his eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"What do you want?" Sister sighed in annoyance.

"We're heading back to Lothal shortly. Ahsoka tells me you'll probably be gone by the time we get back. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for getting angry at you," Ezra said.

Sister didn't say anything, instead she simply turned her gaze away from him.

"My parents spoke out against the Empire and I have no idea where they are now or even if they're still alive. They knew the risks but they chose to do it anyways because it was a cause worth fighting for. I lost my temper when you said this was all a hopeless cause because I refuse to believe that I lost them over nothing. It's why I'm not leaving the rebellion no matter what vision I have. Sure I might not last very long but even if I can just protect one person from the Empire then my life will have meant something just like my parents. I don't know if you even care to hear this but that's why I can't leave. I hope everything works out for you. Take care of yourself," Ezra explained.

He turned and walked back out. The door closed behind him, cloaking Sister once again in darkness.

* * *

"So we're not taking the Ghost and we're letting Chopper drive?" sighed Sabine as she and Zeb entered the Star Commuter 2000 shuttle while everyone else was already seated. The vessel was a civilian transport designed to ferry people on short trips to planets within the same sector. Ezra could remember the first time he was in one of these things, Chopper harassed him as part of a plan to get rid of some protocol droid used by Minister Tua. It culminated in capturing a shipment of dangerous weapons and destroying them before they could be used by the Empire.

How ironic Tua was once again the reason why Ezra was aboard a shuttle like this. The minister contacted the rebellion and requested asylum. In exchange for getting her off Lothal, she would reveal valuable information about the Empire. It was the exact same deal they made with Second Sister but the rebellion needed any advantage they could get, especially information.

"After our stunt with Grand Moff Tarkin's flagship, there's a good chance the Empire will be able to track it," explained Hera.

"Great mission so far," grumbled Zeb. Chopper ordered everyone seated as he started up the ship. The little droid was enjoying his pilot status a little too much bossing everyone around.

The blast door to the ship opened, catching Ezra by surprise as Second Sister stepped inside. He wasn't the only one caught off guard as the rest of the crew all stared at her bewildered for a moment. The former Inquisitor was dressed in civilian garb but had her lightsaber hooked on her belt.

"Ahsoka tells me you're heading for Lothal to rescue an Imperial minister," remarked Sister.

"That's right," replied a confused Kanan.

Sister strolled down the passenger aisle, passing everyone and taking a seat in the back.

"Uhh…what are you doing?" asked Hera.

"What does it look like Death Wish? I'm coming with you," said Sister.

"You're helping us?" Sabine asked incredulously.

"Is that so shocking? I did save your carcass once before Mandalorian," Sister pointed out.

"Yeah but you had nothing to lose then," replied Sabine.

"Why help us now?" inquired Zeb.

"If you don't want me around then I'll gladly leave," grumbled Sister, getting to her feet.

Hera held up her hands. "It's ok. We can use all the help we can get," the Twi'lek assured.

"Then what are we waiting for?" grunted Sister as she sat back down.

To say that Ezra was puzzled was an understatement. He thought his apology in the equipment room was the last time he'd ever see her. The former Inquisitor constantly made it clear that she had no intention of continuing to aid the Ghost crew and yet here she was. What was even more surprising was that Second Sister had nothing really to gain out of this. Helping to rescue Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine was done mostly because she had nothing to lose and slightly because should they succeed, a rebel cell consisting of a Jedi and his Padawan would owe her a huge favor. It paid off with the others rescued and that implant removed from Sister's chest. She had no reason to keep helping the rebellion at this point.

Ezra was happy she was joining the mission but now he was even more confused than ever. Second Sister was hard to get a read on. There were times she acted like she didn't care about anyone then randomly did things that implied otherwise. Ezra wasn't sure if her joining this mission was a onetime only thing or if maybe Sister was going to keep helping them. But one thing he was starting to believe is that there was more to her then the cold blooded killer she wanted everyone to think she was.

(The nightmare Varra had is extremely important to her character. Some of you might be able to guess what planet she was on and the structure she saw. I understand that in an upcoming comic of Darth Vader that the origins of the Inquisitors would be explored. I already have a backstory in mind for Varra planned out as well as the other Inquisitors so I will not be taking it into account. Speaking of our favorite Sith Lord, Siege of Lothal next chapter.)


	21. Chapter 21

(Like I said in the previous chapter, I am not taking the Inquisitorious origins from the Darth Vader comics into account. It was a good comic but I already have Varra's backstory already planned out in my mind and I'm not changing it.)

Chopper had the shuttle detach from Phoenix Home and jumped into hyperspace. The trip to Lothal should take less than half an hour which gave the crew more than enough time to come up with a plan. Ezra was sure that Hera would have preferred to have more time but Minister Tua was scheduled to be taken off planet shortly which didn't leave them a lot of time. They needed to get there as quickly as possible.

"So what's the plan?" asked Kanan, twirling his blaster in his hand. Apparently Ezra's master already knew whatever they were going to do it was probably going to require using that thing.

"Ok so Minister Tua is scheduled to visit Governor Tarkin tomorrow. She leaves via a shuttle at eighteen hundred. We wait at the hangar, steal the shuttle, and take her to safety," Ezra spoke up.

"That simple huh?" grunted Second Sister.

"Ezra I hope you're sure about this," sighed Sabine.

"After all the trouble she's made for us, why should we help her?" grunted Zeb.

"Because that's what we do. Help those who can't help themselves. Just ask Second Sister," explained Ezra.

Sister glared at him. "Don't compare us. That spineless bureaucrat and me are nothing alike," she growled.

"But we helped you when we didn't have to and you're still alive because of it. And because you got off Lothal, you later helped us rescue Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine. This is how you fight back against the Empire. With friends and allies willing to aid each other," Hera pointed out.

"She's still nothing like me," grumbled an annoyed Sister, folding her arms. Then again Ezra might get annoyed being compared to a sleazy politician as well.

"Plus her list will help us out," Ezra added.

"This still might be a trap," Kanan commented.

"Well we'll deal with it if it isn't," Sabine said.

"Cutting off Minister Tua's head would be a great way to do that. Or you could simply kidnap her for real and torture any useful information out of her before decapitation," suggested Sister.

Everyone onboard all threw her a look. "I'm just saying it's a viable option," Sister shrugged.

It wasn't long before they dropped out of hyperspace. Lothal appeared on the front view screen along with several Imperial Star Destroyers. Martial law was still in effect planet side but according to reports, imperials were allowing travel to and off world to resume. The Empire had reported that the Ghost crew was killed when the Sovereign exploded. They couldn't completely censor the destruction of Tarkin's flagship but they could spin it into trying to convince everyone that the rebellion was over on Lothal. They probably thought the Ghost crew wouldn't dare come back here. Well they were about to be in for a surprise.

"Shuttle 593 this is Lothal Control. You are cleared to land," a voice spoke over the com.

Ezra should be grateful they managed to bypass Imperial security but something didn't feel right. The closer they got to the planet, the more he could feel something. It was a cold sinking feeling in his gut, the exact same sensation Ezra got every time he got closer to a force wielder who used the dark side.

"Do you feel that? I feel so cold," Ezra asked Kanan. His master didn't say anything but it was obvious he was concerned.

"We should turn around," suggested Sister. Ezra glanced behind him to see from the look on her face that she was quite serious.

"We'll only get one chance to rescue Minister Tua. If we leave, she's as good as dead," protested Hera.

"You should worry more about yourselves. There's an Inquisitor here. I can feel it," replied Sister.

"This mission just keeps getting better and better," grumbled Zeb.

"Do you know which one?" asked Sabine.

"Doesn't work that way. There are nine Inquisitors still alive in the galaxy and there could be just one on Lothal or every single one of them," said Sister.

"Which one should we be more worried about?" asked Ezra.

"All of them," replied Sister.

"We'll just try and get this over with as quickly as we can. Hopefully we can get off Lothal without running into…whoever you're sensing," said Hera.

"Knowing our luck, I doubt it," grumbled Zeb.

* * *

 _Darkness greeted Varra as she regained consciousness. The last thing she recalled was the clone troopers massacring her fellow prisoners before capturing her. In fact, it felt like everyone in the entire temple was dying. It caused a ripple in the Force that was unlike anything Varra had ever felt before. She had no idea why the clones wanted her alive but it couldn't be good._

 _Varra attempted to move but her limbs were frozen in place. She could feel the cold sensation of metal wrapped around her wrists, suspending them above her head as well as restraints around her ankles and waist. Varra could tell she wasn't sitting down. The table she was strapped onto was standing upright but that was about as much as she knew about where she currently was. Varra decided using her five senses weren't going to tell anything else so she stretched out with the Force. She instantly almost regretted it. Wherever Varra was, the dark side was almost overwhelming here. There had been darkness in the Force on Umbara but nothing like this._

" _I trust you've rested well my dear?" a voice spoke. Varra glanced around but couldn't find the source._

" _The Jedi Order is no more. Their Masters killed, their Knights slaughtered, their Padawans butchered," the voice cackled. "But a few remain, scattered throughout the galaxy. The clone troopers are no experts at hunting down Jedi and bounty hunters won't suffice. I require the services of someone who understands them. Who can predict and counter any strategy or ability they can conjure."_

" _Who are you? Where am I?" demanded Varra. Lights suddenly illuminated the room, forcing Varra to close her eyes for a few seconds until her eyesight could adjust. She found herself in a small room with numerous droids that were either medical droids or torture. But the one thing that caught her attention was a single man covered in a black cloak. He was hunched over, his hood concealing most of his face but Varra didn't need to see it to know that he was the source of the dark side she sensed._

" _I am Darth Sidious my dear and I have a preposition for you," the man spoke, his voice alone sent shivers down the spine. Varra instantly knew what he was. The Sith Lords were supposed to be extinct though Count Dooku and Darth Maul claimed the titles during the Clone Wars. Yet Varra had never heard of a Darth Sidious. The fact that the clones had massacred the Jedi seemed to prove this man's power and influence._

" _What do you want from me?" demanded Varra._

" _To show you another way then the Jedi. To help you reach your full potential and exact your vengeance against the Jedi," the man smiled._

 _Varra didn't say anything to that. She didn't know who he was but she certainly wasn't going to just open up to a Sith Lord._

" _And the first lesson I have for you my dear will be the most important one," the man spoke. He raised a single hand and unleashed a discharge of purple energy from his fingertips. The electricity coursed throughout Varra's body as she let loose a loud painful scream. It only lasted a few seconds but it felt much longer._

" _Pain," laughed the man who now held up both hands, unleashing purples arches of electricity. Varra did the only thing she could do and screamed._

* * *

The shuttle landed in the Lothal Spaceport without any incident. Star Destroyers hovered over Lothal city with dozens of Tie squadrons patrolling the skies. AT-PTs, Imperial tanks, and countless Stormtroopers flooded the streets. Sabine Wren hadn't seen such a military presence in the capital city since the time they rescued Second Sister. Fortunately the Ghost crew did have a few advantages. The Empire wasn't expecting them to show up here again and because the Imperials falsely claimed that the Ghost crew was dead, they'd be able to move about more freely then before.

The moment everyone disembarked from the ship, they were approached by an Imperial officer. Judging from his low rank, he was probably the local customs officer. "Your identifications now," he ordered.

"Is something wrong officer?" asked Hera.

"Until further notice, all traffic proceeding through Lothal space must undergo security checks. Now show me your IDs," the officer ordered.

"You've seen our IDs," Second Sister said, making a hand gesture.

"I've seen your IDs," the officer spoke as if in a trance.

"They all check out. We can go about our business. Move along," Sister added.

"You all check out. You can go about your business. Move along," the officer said. He turned and headed towards the exit as if nothing happened at all. Sabine had to admit the whole Jedi mind trick thing always creeped her out. The idea that somebody could just hypnotize another sentient like that was unnerving.

"I've got to learn how to do that," commented Ezra.

"Alright Zeb, Chopper, you two stay with the shuttle in case we need a quick exit," said Hera.

Chopper joked that they always need a quick exit.

"Tua's leaving from Bay 23. Let's move," Kanan said.

Sabine then noticed something Second Sister's lightsaber. It was no longer a single circular shape weapon or in its crescent shaped setting. Instead the lightsaber was separated in two halves, each placed on either side of Sister's belt.

"What did you do to your lightsaber?" Sabine asked.

"The same thing Kanan did to his. Carrying an intact lightsaber tends to draw attention. This way, the pieces look nothing more than tools or ornaments that no one would look twice at," explained Sister. The former Inquisitor must have modified her weapon during her recuperation. She certainly had plenty of time and spent most of it in a supply closet with all the tools she probably needed.

Bay 23 wasn't far away but it was under a lot more security as it was a government landing pad, not a civilian one. The Ghost crew hide behind a nearby building, scooping out the entrance. It only had a few Stormtroopers patrolling the exterior but it would only take one to set off an alarm and cause the whole plan to fall apart.

"We'll need a diversion," spoke Hera.

"Well I'm going to make a few friends. When Tua arrives, I'll keep 'em busy while you all drop in from the hangar from above," Kanan stated.

"Make a few friends?" frowned Hera.

"It'll be fun," smiled Kanan, seemingly proud that he was annoying the Twi'lek captain.

"Fun?" Hera hissed, starting to lose her temper.

"Don't worry General Hera," Kanan replied with a mocking salute. "Just be ready to move."

Kanan didn't give anyone a chance to respond before he took off down the street. He approached a Stormtrooper and patted him on the shoulder like they were old pals. He lured the trooper towards a nearby alley and proceeded to knock the Imperial unconscious. Kanan dragged the body out of sight and less than a minute later, emerged out of the alley dressed in Stormtrooper armor.

"Did getting captured not teach him anything about being reckless?" Second Sister asked.

"Clearly not," grumbled Hera.

"I'm kinda jealous. I only have the helmet," quipped Ezra.

The four remaining rebels scaled the wall of a nearby building. Sabine, Ezra, and Hera all climbed their way up while Second Sister launched herself into the air with a single jump, bounced off the building opposite and landed on the roof before her three companions could reach the top.

"When do I learn that?" asked an impressed Ezra as he and the other got to the roof.

"When you grow up," replied Sister. Ezra threw her an annoyed look in response as they made their way over to the roof overlooking Bay 23.

"Alright we'll split up. Sabine, you and Sister will attack the main entrance and create a distraction. Ezra and I will join up with Kanan inside the hangar bay and grab Minister Tua. We'll take the shuttle parked inside and pick you up on the rooftops once we're clear," instructed Hera.

Sabine nodded and was relieved when Second Sister didn't protest. The former Inquisitor had a habit of making a fuss out of anybody giving her orders but so far for this mission she had mostly just did what she was told. Granted she never acknowledged the order but she did at least carry it out.

The two broke away from the others and headed to the side of the roof leading to the entrance. Second Sister pulled out her lightsaber pieces and merged them together.

"Isn't using that going to attract the attention of the Inquisitor you sensed before?" asked Sabine.

"Do I look worried?" grunted Second Sister. She tested her weapon, switching it from crescent mode to disc mode.

Sabine shrugged, clearly her companion wasn't worried. Hopefully they could get Minister Tua and get off the planet before they ran into any of Second Sister's former comrades. They waited patiently until a speeder approached the entrance. Sabine used the telescopic attachment on her helmet to zoom in on the passengers and saw Minister Tua with Agent Kallus as the driver.

"Well well if it isn't Special Agent Kallus," remarked Sabine, retracting her attachment.

"Friend of yours?" asked Sister.

"If by friend you mean trying to kill us then yes, he's one of our oldest friends," quipped Sabine.

The speeder came to a halt in front of Bay 23. The Minister and Kallus exchanged words and proceeded inside the hangar bay. Second Sister leaped off the building and landed on the street below while Sabine was forced to follow by climbing down the building part way before dropping herself.

"Who wants to die first?" Sister called out, igniting her lightsaber. The Imperials turned, raising their weapons. Sabine drew her blaster and opened fire. Second Sister simply stood her ground, blocking every shot coming at them.

"Minister take cover," Kallus shouted as he returned fire. Tua took off into the hangar bay with Kallus slowly backing inside. A certain Stormtrooper (aka Kanan) hit a button on the door panel which closed the blast doors. The Stormtroopers suddenly found themselves cut off from Bay 23 as well as the Minister and Kallus.

Second Sister leaped forward, her lightsaber twirling into action. Within seconds, she cut down three Stormtroopers down and thrusted her right hand towards a fourth. The trooper was hurled through the air and crashed into the hangar bay blast door. He slumped to the ground unconscious.

"Next time save some for me," protested Sabine. Sister frowned and glanced around. Something clearly caught her attention.

"What is it?" asked Sabine.

Sister continued looking around at the rooftops. "Something's wrong," she whispered.

A thud could be heard behind them. The two turned to see a being dressed in dark metallic armor had landed on the street. He made a distinct breathing sound as if the being was using a respirator. A crimson energy blade ignited from a lightsaber in his hand.

"One of your old friends?" asked a worried Sabine, drawing her blasters. She glanced at Second Sister and for the first time Sabine had ever seen, the former Inquisitor's calm confidence was gone. She was almost hyperventilating in sheer panic. Whoever this was, Sister was terrified of it and that fact alone terrified Sabine.

"Vader," Sister gasped.

"You were unwise to return here," the being spoke in a commanding digitized voice.

Then the former Inquisitor did something else Sabine had never seen before. Sister turned and fled down the street. The Mandalorian was caught off guard by her companion just abandoning her but still maintained enough sense to fire her blasters. Vader casually deflected all of her shots away as if swatting away bugs. He then thrusted his hand and Sabine suddenly found herself flying through the air. She came crashing down painfully on top of the speeder that Kallus and Tua arrived in. Sabine groaned as she glanced up back towards her attacker. Vader stormed off after Second Sister, ignoring the Mandalorian. Clearly she was his primary target whereas Sabine was nothing more than a nuisance not worth the trouble of even killing.

Scrambling into the pilot seat, Sabine activated the speeder and headed toward the rooftop of the landing bay. A massive explosion inside the pad, violently shaking the speeder as it hung in the air. Sabine regained control and moved the speeder overhead of the pad to find the wreckage of a Lambda class Imperial shuttle. Kanan, Ezra, and Hera were slowly getting to their feet. They had obviously been knocked down by the blast but thankfully they seemed unharmed. However Tua was nowhere to be seen. Something was very wrong here.

"Zeb we're going to need a pickup," Sabine radioed in. The fact that she didn't use his codename emphasized how serious the situation was.

" _Copy. We're on our way,"_ replied Zeb.

Kanan, Ezra, and Hera took cover as several more Stormtroopers arrived to aid Kallus. Thankfully neither of them had to wait long for help to arrive. The stolen Commuter shuttle the Ghost crew arrived in descended into the landing bay. Its entrance hatch was open and extended with Zeb standing on it firing his rifle. His blaster fire knocked down one trooper, forcing the others to take cover.

"Come on!" Zeb shouted.

The shuttle landed and Kanan, Hera, and Ezra all rushed inside. The second they were onboard, the small ship ascended up to pick Sabine. The Mandalorian didn't bother parking her speeder. Instead she simply waited until the shuttle was close enough to leap from the speeder onto the shuttle's open hatch.

"Where's Sister?" asked Ezra.

"We were attacked by an Inquisitor or at least I think it was. Sister called him Vader," Sabine explained as the hatch closed behind her. That got a concerned look from everyone else onboard but none more so then Hera.

"Vader," the Twi'lek gasped in horror.

"Who?" asked Zeb.

"He's the Empire's ultimate problem solver," Hera explained. "My father encountered him on Ryloth several years ago. The Free Ryloth Movement lost more people that day then almost the entire history of the insurgency."

"Whoever he was, Sister was terrified of him. She took off running and he chased after her. I was lucky he wasn't interested in me or I'd be dead," continued Sabine.

"We've got to go back for her," Ezra protested.

The shuttle rocked, shaking violently and nearly knocking everyone off their feet. Chopper shouted that the aft thrusters had been damaged and they were going down. Everyone quickly found a seat and buckled themselves in before the small craft came crashing down.

* * *

Second Sister braced herself against a garbage unit, trying her best not to hyperventilate. Why did it have to be him? Sister would have preferred to fight every single remaining Inquisitor at once then fight her former master. She knew Vader was still close. The rage that she felt emanated through the Force could only come from him.

"You cannot hide forever," the Sith Lord's mechanical voice boomed across the alleyway. Sister glanced around but couldn't see him. Hopefully that meant Vader couldn't see her either. This was not a fight that Sister was prepared for nor one she would be willing to engage in even if she thought she had a chance.

"I knew you would seek vengeance but to join the ranks of the rebellion? Perhaps I underestimated your abilities if you require their assistance. You are still a Jedi at heart," Vader mocked. He was trying to lure her out. He knew all her secrets and he was the one who made Sister the way she is.

* * *

" _Who are you?" Varra's captor demanded. He repeated the same damn question over and over again yet it didn't matter how she answered, the response was always the same._

" _Go to hell," spat Varra. She was once again shackled onto an interrogation table with multiple electrostatic probes arrayed around her, ready to blast her with bolts of electricity._

" _Unacceptable," the interrogator spoke. Varra screamed from the resulting electric charge._

 _It had been like this for days…or was it weeks? Months? Varra had lost all sense of time ever since she met that Sith Lord. Darth Sidious took incredible pleasure torturing her with his unnatural Force abilities but eventually relented and decided to leave someone else the task. Varra never saw him, his vision obscured from a blinding spotlight aimed directly at her face. She tried more than once to reach out with the Force to at least feel her captor but had no success._

 _The torture sessions always went the same way every time. Varra would wake up in a holding cell by an alarm then stunned unconscious by a blaster turret on the ceiling above her. She tried to crush it once using the Force but that only resulted in the floor being electrified. Compared to that, a stun blast wasn't too bad. Varra would then wake up strapped to an interrogation table. Her interrogator would arrive and would always ask the same question._

" _Who are you?"_

 _It didn't make any sense. Varra gave her name, her Jedi rank, addressed herself as daughter of Thera Kayne, born on the planet Denon, former padawan of Jedi Master Pong Krell, etc. It didn't matter what answer she gave, her torturer was never satisfied._

" _Unacceptable," he would say then zap his prisoner with volts of electricity. He would repeat the same question, answer, and torture for hours. Sometimes the shocks would last so long that Varra would pass out. That was the only time she got any respite but the moment she regained consciousness, the torture would resume. It would only end when Varra would be rendered unconscious by a stun blaster without warning then wake up back in her cell. She was given a tray with barely enough food and water to survive another day._

 _The routine was methodical and fool proof. There was simply no way for Varra to get free and escape. More and more she just wanted it all to end. Sometimes she considered just ramming her head into the wall as hard as she could, causing brain damage to kill herself. Jedi training and stubbornness could only keep one's sanity in such conditions for only so long._

 _But the one thing Varra wanted more than anything before she died was to make that interrogator pay for all the pain he's caused her for nothing more than his own sadistic pleasure. The thought of strangling his neck with her bare hands allowed Varra to remain patient and to focus through the pain. The minimal amount of fluid and caloric intake weakened the former Padawan's body but not her mind. She could still use the Force and that would be the key. It wouldn't get her out of this prison but it could get her an opening. All she needed to do was wait._

 _Her patience paid off as she noticed the previous day that the restraints on her left arm were somewhat loose. If Varra put enough effort into it, she might be able to free herself. She would have to mask her efforts, waiting until her torturer shocked her to try and pull her arm free. Her efforts would look like wild thrashing when it would actually be to free herself._

" _Who are you?" the question was asked again. Varra braced herself, ready to wiggle her arm the moment the electric currents hit her body._

" _Unacceptable," the interrogator spoke after not getting an answer. Varra grinded her teeth as electricity coursed throughout her body. It hurt like hell but it enabled her to pull on her loose restraint with all her effort without drawing suspicion._

" _Who are you?" the interrogator demanded._

" _Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? You keep asking that same damn question over and over again. You want to know who I am? I'm the person who's going to kill you!" Varra shouted. Her restraint was loose enough for her to pull her arm free. With the blink of an eye, Varra thrusted her hand out at the spotlight shining on her face. The light was telekinetically turned aside, allowing the former Padawan to finally see her surroundings and more importantly her captor. He was dressed in a cloak that concealing his head._

 _Now was the moment Varra had dreamed about ever for weeks. She thrusted her hand out again, using the Force to fling her captor into the air and land right in front of her. Drawing on her anger and hatred, she then telekinetically began to squeeze his neck. Varra didn't bother conserving her strength to free herself. She just put everything into killing the source of her pain._

 _Her torturer didn't make a single sound as his body was lifted into the air. Varra wanted him to scream, to beg for his life but hearing nothing at all enraged her. She squeezed harder and harder, wanting to just hear a whimper before snuffing out his life. A metallic crunch broke her concentration. Released from her telekinetic grip, the torturer dropped to the floor with his head rolling out of his concealing hood. Varra was speechless at what she saw. The person who had been torturing her for so long was nothing more than a droid. A stupid machine that was just following its programming._

 _The restraints around her ankles and wrists suddenly unlocked. Varra collapsed to the floor, grunting as she struggled to get to her feet. That's when she felt a new presence in the room. The dark side rippled within the Force in a way Varra hadn't felt since she first met Darth Sidious. If he was here to kill her, there wasn't much Varra could do about it. She was too weak and what little strength she had was expended on that droid._

 _A tall figure strolled into the room dressed in black armor with a helmet resembling a strange looking skull. A respirator exchanged air loudly, creating an ominous breathing sound. Varra had no idea who he was but he certainly wasn't Sidious. He came to a halt in front of the former Jedi padawan, easily towering over her._

" _Perhaps there is hope for you yet," the being spoke in a digitized voice. That was the first time she met Darth Vader._

* * *

"You only delay the inevitable," Vader's voice echoed through the alleyway. Varra couldn't afford to stay here much longer. It was only a matter of time before he found her and death would be a mercy compared to what the Sith Lord probably had in store for her. Varra's former master might be nearly unstoppable in a fight but he did have a few weaknesses. He was incredibly fast and agile compared to a normal humanoid but not as fast as Varra. Her only chance was to outrun him.

Varra glanced around, not seeing her former master in the alley. That didn't mean he wasn't nearby but it did mean she had a chance for a head start before Vader could find her. She leaped upwards, bouncing off the nearest building and right onto the rooftop of the building opposite. Varra didn't wait to see if anyone was following her, she simply took off running. She leaped from one building to the next, not daring to look over her shoulder. For all she knew, Vader could have been right behind her.

A speeder moving along the street below presented too good of an opportunity to pass up. Matching its speed, Varra leaped off the rooftop and directly into the passenger's seat. The human pilot didn't get a chance to react before she kicked him out and took over the controls. She breathed a slight sigh of relief as she increased speed.

A sudden violent series of sparks flew across her face. Varra covered her face with her free hand while ascending the speeder. The sparks had come from a recent scorch mark on the side of the aircraft. Varra glanced behind her to see Vader standing on a building below, summoning the lightsaber he had thrown at her. Varra wasn't one to believe in luck but she knew had the speeder been a few inches to the left there wouldn't have been a scourge mark on the speeder, just a severed head belonging to a former Inquisitor.

(Couldn't help sneaking in a Babylon 5 reference and I wanted to cover Siege of Lothal part 1 in this chapter. Part 2 will be covered next chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

(To make up for the long delay, I've made this chapter extra-long. Hope you enjoy it.)

The darkness never went away. Ezra felt its cold presence even after he and the rest of his crew escaped the shuttle crash and hide in his parent's abandoned home. He felt it after they saw the HoloNet broadcast announcing Minister Tua's death. The Empire must have known about the women's defection and planned it all perfectly to frame the rebels for the explosion that took her life. Tua might have been an Imperial but she was actually quite popular with the locals. Her job and housing programs helped get a lot of unemployed people off the streets. Now all of Lothal believed the Ghost crew was responsible for her death. They needed to get off the planet as soon as possible.

Ezra could still feel the dark presence after his home was destroyed by Stormtroopers and his crew escaped. The whole city was under lockdown with all the civilian landing pads under heavy guard. However the extra security took away personal from the main Imperial complex which probably had more than one shuttle inside. The hard part was getting inside without setting off an alarm but that wasn't their only problem. Varra took off running after encountering someone named Vader.

"Sister are you there? Sister can you read me?" Ezra tried to raise her on her comlink. She received it along just before the mission started and Ezra joked they should call her Spectre 7. Varra made it clear she wasn't joining the Ghost crew on a permanent basis and wanted no code name. Ezra however couldn't care less about what code name she wanted if she would just answer. Sister hasn't responded on the com ever since she was separated from the group.

"You don't think her com link was damaged do you?" suggested Zeb.

"Or it could be another reason," Kanan said grimly. Ezra knew what he was implying but he refused to believe it.

"Doubtful. She'd run at the first sign of trouble," grumbled Sabine. She was still furious over getting abandoned by someone who was supposed to watch her back. Mandalorians didn't take very well to any kind of betrayal of their trust.

"Varra's no coward," protested Ezra.

"But she's certainly not a part of this team that's for sure. She'd rather save herself now that she no longer needs us," retorted Sabine.

"Then why she'd join us again for this mission?" shot back Ezra.

"Probably looking for a chance to kill more Imperials. She didn't come to help us," scoffed Sabine.

"That's enough! Both of you!" snapped Hera. "The whole city is after us and we're not going to survive while at each other's throats. We need to get to the imperial base and get off Lothal immediately."

"But we can't just leave Varra," protested Ezra.

"We can't go looking for her with the Empire flooding the city with troops and if she won't answer coms, then we have no way to find her. I'm sorry but we can't stay. The longer we do, the more likely the Imperials will find us," explained Hera. She wasn't happy about it but it was clear her decision was final as well.

"She can take care of herself. She handled herself just fine before she met us," Zeb reasoned as they continued towards the Imperial complex.

"Doesn't make what we're doing right," Ezra muttered under his breath while feeling the dark presence getting stronger and stronger.

He pulled out his com link and whispered, "If you can hear this, we're heading to the Imperial complex. Meet us at the main landing pad if you can."

* * *

" _Meet us at the main landing pad if you can,"_ Ezra's voice spoke through the com. The communicator shook in Second Sister's trembling hand. She cursed herself for such cowardice. One of the Empire's best former killers was now struggling not to hyperventilate in an alleyway. Sister had abandoned her speeder after getting far enough away from Vader and was now on foot again. She wouldn't have gotten far with it anyways. Every exit to the city was locked down and now the Imperials would be looking for it.

Sister was surprised the Ghost crew had even bothered to try and contact her. She bolted the second she saw Vader and left them to fend for themselves. The only reason any of them were still alive was because Vader was more focused with killing her then the rebel cell. They should be furious at her. She didn't run to draw Vader away, she fled to save herself.

Yet Ezra had been trying to contact for the past few minutes. Of course it had to be him. The boy was the only one of the crew who actually considered Sister to be a friend though she still didn't understand why. Youthful naivety perhaps? Sister doubted the others felt the same way. She should have never come back to this planet and should have never helped out this idiotic band of miscreants. But Sister still needed to get a way out of the city and more importantly get off the planet. There was only one option left for her to do.

* * *

Disguised as a Stormtrooper and a cadet, Kanan and Ezra managed to smuggle Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper inside the base. After knocking out a patrol or two, the Ghost Crew made it to the landing pad where a shuttle was parked. As if things weren't looking up already, a set of military grade shield generators were lying on the tarmac. Must have just been delivered but the shuttle crew was nowhere in sight. Either they were onboard the shuttle or somewhere inside the base, leaving the generators alone with no security. Imperial incompetence at its finest.

Ezra, Hera, Sabine, and Zeb grabbed a generator each and headed towards the shuttle. They may not have been able to save Minister Tua but hopefully these shields could help the rebellion fight the people responsible for her murder. As they got closer to the ship, Ezra felt the need to make one final attempt to help the missing member of their expedition.

"Sister if you can hear this, we've made to the landing pad. Tell us your location and we'll pick you up with the shuttle," Ezra spoke into his communicator.

"Pick her up? Kid it's not like we can just fly that shuttle down the street," Zeb groaned.

"But it's the least we can…" Ezra protested but then he felt it again. The dark presence felt like it was engulfing the entire landing pad. This didn't feel like some distant echo of the dark side but rather it's center.

Kanan stopped in his tracks, obviously sensing it as well. "The cold," he whispered.

Ezra glanced towards the complex entrance to see someone stepping outside. A dark armored figure with a mask that resembled some strange skull and a black cape billowing in the gentle breeze. Crimson colors lite up the area as the being ignited a blood red lightsaber. As he walked closer and closer, Ezra could make out the sound of a ventilator that only seemed to make him even more frightening. A squad of Stormtroopers rushed outside to join the figure. They took up firing positions near a series of parked walkers.

Yet they were almost seemingly forgotten by Ezra as he grabbed his lightsaber and ignited the blue energy blade. Kanan did the same with his own but Ezra didn't feel a sense of confidence from the sight. Kanan wasn't calm like he normally was. He was afraid and Ezra knew it.

"Hera go we'll cover you!" Kanan shouted.

"Kanan that's him! It's Vader! Run!" Hera screamed at them. Vader didn't give them a chance to. He lunged forward, swinging his lightsaber single-handily at Kanan. The Jedi managed to block it with his own weapon but found himself being overpowered. Vader easily pushed Kanan slowly backwards, possessing physical strength that even Zeb couldn't match.

The Stormtroopers opened fire, targeting Hera, Sabine, and Zeb. The Mandalorian and Lasat were pinned down behind a cluster of crates while Hera and Chopper managed to take cover inside the shuttle. Ezra was tempted to try and help them but couldn't just leave Kanan behind to fend for himself against such a powerful enemy.

Vader then thrusted out his hand and Ezra suddenly found himself flying through the air. He crashed down on the durachete ground hard, knocking the wind out of him. He glanced up to see that Kanan was still on his feet but had clearly been knocked back by the attack. The Jedi rushed after Vader to counterattack but the warrior deflected all of Kanan's attacks with ease. Then with a simple step back, Vader sidestepped one of Kanan's thrusts and grabbed the Jedi by both wrists with a single arm. Kanan found himself trapped, unable to pull away or even swing his lightsaber. Using unnatural strength, Vader lifted Kanan off his feet and hurled him into a nearby cargo crate. The Jedi crashed into it face first before going limb and slumping to the ground.

Realizing he had to do something, Ezra charged into the fray. He only took a few steps before Vader thrusted his free hand towards the Padawan and Ezra suddenly found himself getting ripped right off his feet and flying directly into the leg of an AT-PT. Ezra was trapped, his body telekinetically pinned to the metallic frame of the walker. With a simple motion of Vader's finger, Ezra felt his lightsaber moving. He tried to resist but it was no good. His own lightsaber was telekinetically turning itself closer and closer towards Ezra's head.

"Your master has deceived you into believing you can become a Jedi," mocked Vader as the energy blade was inches away from the Padawan's face. The warrior's attention suddenly shifted as he glanced behind towards the series of AT-PTs lined up on the landing pad. A turret on one of the walker's turned and fired a burst of blaster fire at the Stormtroopers. The bucket heads were blown to pieces, allowing Sabine and Zeb to make a dash towards the shuttle.

Ezra dropped to the ground, Vader's hold on him lost as the dark side adept focused completely on the AT-PT turning its guns on him. The walker fired at the mechanical menace and yet the warrior somehow managed to stay on his feet as he deflected each and every shot. Only this time, Vader seemed to have a little difficulty with it. Ezra had no idea who was driving the walker but he wasn't about to look a gift bantha in the mouth.

Using the distraction, the Padawan rushed over to Kanan and shook him until his eyes opened. "C'mon we've got move!" Ezra shouted.

Kanan saw Vader fighting the walker and didn't argue as he got to his feet. The two rushed towards the shuttle as fast as they could. Ezra glanced behind him to see Vader rushing at nearly inhuman speed towards the walker, avoiding energy fire and slashing at the machine's ankles. The AT-PT staggered and started to lose its balance. The hatch on top opened and a figure shot out of the machine just as it collapsed to the ground. It flew right over Ezra and Kanan and landed directly on the shuttle's cargo ramp.

Ezra's jaw nearly hit the floor when he recognized their rescuer as none other than Second Sister. He would have jumped for joy if not for the fact that some kind of Super Inquisitor was probably right on their tail.

"C'mon c'mon!" shouted Sabine. She didn't need to tell them twice as Sister, Ezra, and Kanan rushed up the ramp and onto the ship. The Mandalorian suddenly pulled out one of blasters and opened fire. Almost instantaneously, blaster fire impacted her chest plate armor. Sabine screamed in pain as she was knocked to the floor.

Ezra quickly rushed to her side to check up on her and was relieved she was still breathing. He turned back to the ramp where Vader was approaching. Thankfully the shuttle was starting to lift off the ground. Vader tossed his lightsaber, either to kill one of the rebels or possibly hit the shuttle's thrusters. Whatever the target, it never got close. Sister ignited her lightsaber and hurled into the path of Vader's. The two weapons clashed and bounced off one another. Sister summoned her lightsaber back to her hand as the shuttle gained altitude and the landing pad faded away in the distance.

The ship's blast doors closed as Hera and Ezra helped Sabine to one of the passenger seats. She was clearly in pain but her armor wasn't pierced by the blaster fire. The good thing about Mandalorians armor is that it could protest the user against blaster bolts unlike Stormtroopers'. Proof that the Empire believed that quantity over quality.

"Zeb make sure they can't track us," Hera ordered the Lasat.

"Consider it done," Zeb replied before heading towards the cockpit.

"You ok?" Hera asked Sabine.

The Mandalorian removed her helmet. "Yeah I'll live," she groaned.

Sabine then turned her attention towards Second Sister. "No thanks to you!" she shouted.

"If Vader wanted you dead child then you would have been regardless of my assistance," Sister uttered in a condescending tone.

Sabine tried to get to her feet, probably either to get in Second Sister's face or physically retaliate for being called a child. Fortunately, the Mandalorian groaned as she clenched her chest and slowly sat right back down. Her injury didn't seem serious but she was still in no condition to get into a fight.

"Vader? What was that guy? Another Inquisitor?" asked Ezra. He was still shaking after his near death experience with that warrior. It wasn't that he was almost killed that scared him but rather how easily Vader could have done it.

"No something far worse. A Sith Lord. The ancient enemy of the Jedi," answered Kanan, still clenching his head. The fight left a large bruise on his forehead and Hera planned on checking him for a possible concussion.

"Leave it to a Jedi for simplifying the most important aspect of the Jedi's history," Sister remarked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" frowned Kanan.

"That wasn't just some boogeyman your masters used to scare you when you were a youngling. That was Vader. He's not a master of the dark side. He's a master of death and wherever he goes, death follows. We're getting us off this rock now," Sister said, almost sounding like a command.

"It's not going to be that simple. He will have a blockade of destroyers waiting for us," explained Kanan.

"He's right," sighed Sabine. "This shuttle is slow with barely any weapons or shields. We're going to need to smuggle ourselves if we want to get off Lothal."

Hera unexpectedly smiled. "That's not a bad idea," she smirked.

"What are you thinking?" asked Kanan.

"I'm thinking we know the right man to smuggle us all off world," answered Hera.

Ezra instantly knew who she was talking about and Kanan must have as well because they both said, "Not him!"

"All of us assuming you don't just run away again," Hera added, the jab directed at Sister. The Twi'lek headed up to the cockpit, leaving behind a very unamused Second Sister. The former Inquisitor took a seat as far away from everyone else as possible. Running away hadn't really endured her to the rest of the team with her little stunt back at the spaceport. Ezra was starting to think maybe she wasn't ready to be a part of the crew after all.

* * *

Second Sister was growing more irritated as she was the last to disembark from the shuttle. The rebels knew that they didn't stand a chance of escaping the planet in that slow transport so they landed on some farm belonging to a smuggler named Lando Calrission. Sister wasn't exactly sure who this guy was but judging from Ezra and Kanan's reaction earlier, they didn't have a high opinion of him.

When they arrived, the rebels were greeted by a droid. The smuggler was probably using it as a proxy to keep some distance between himself and the Ghost crew. Considering the whole planet was searching for them, that wasn't a bad idea. The droid was talking with Hera and Sabine while Ezra was staring off at a smoke plume far off in the distance. The boy leaped onto a nearby speeder and powered it up. Zeb attempted to stop him but Kanan blocked him, allowing the Padawan to speed off towards the plume. Kanan then calmly got on another speeder and followed the boy off into the distance.

Sister said nothing to anyone as they worked on their little plan to escape Lothal and everyone kept their distance from her. Running for her life from Vader didn't endure her to the rebels but she couldn't care less. None of them ever fought Vader, none of them knew what he was capable of. Only a complete imbecile would try and challenge him head on. The only reason they escaped at all was Vader didn't want them dead. Sister had seen enough of him to know when he was holding back during his dual with Kanan and Ezra. If he really wanted them dead, they already would be.

* * *

 _Varra screamed as he dropped to the floor. She could feel a scorching mark running across her back. Flesh melting while it produced the worst scent imaginable. Varra scrambled to get away before a large boot kicked her in the side, flipping her over onto her back. A crimson blade appeared right in front of her face, merely inches away cutting through her forehead._

" _You claim to hate the Jedi and yet you still fight like one," taunted Vader, towering over her._

 _Vader lifted his lightsaber for a killing blow but Varra rolled out of the way. She summoned her lightsaber that Vader knocked away just moments ago back to her hand. This wasn't like any training session Varra had even been in before. Vader made it quite clear that if he didn't believe she was improving that he would kill her. It was the ultimate motivation to learn from your mistakes and when you did, Vader reminded you with a scar. The one Varra could still feel searing on her back was just the latest one. She had one across her chest, one on her right shoulder blade, another on her left forearm, and one on her left thigh._

" _You still cling to the teachings of those you claimed betray you. Perhaps you are still a Jedi at heart," Vader spoke._

" _I'm not!" hissed Varra._

" _Then what is your name?" challenged Vader._

" _Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" shouted Varra. She lunged forward, throwing a wild swing that Vader easily parried away. With a simple backhand across the face from her opponent, Varra found herself one again on the floor with Vader's lightsaber inches from her face._

" _Your name is what the Jedi gave you. If you cannot relinquish the very identity they forced upon you then you will forever be their pawn," Vader answered. "Varra Kayne was naïve and betrayed by her Master, by the Jedi Council, by the very Republic itself. She allowed herself to be taken advantage of, to be betrayed and to be cast aside by everyone she had ever trusted. Until you can shed the shell of the fool you once were, you can never destroy the Jedi."_

* * *

Second Sister shivered as she glanced at her right arm. She could still feel the scolding scorch mark Vader left after that speech. The wound went from her wrist, up her forearm, and ending at the elbow. It was reminder of her inability to adapt and learn what she needed to. Vader had did far worse to the other Inquisitors but no matter how much pain he inflicted upon her, he never permanently crippled or dismembered any of Sister's body parts. Clearly he wanted her in the best physical condition, more so then the others. Maybe Vader saw something in her that the other Inquisitors didn't have. Second Sister's victims would have agreed.

Ezra and Kanan returned on their speeder bikes. Ezra's solemn look told Sister what they found wasn't good.

"What happened out there?" Hera asked them.

"The Empire burned Tarkintown," sighed Kanan. Sister didn't know what this Tarkintown was and didn't really care. She just wanted to off this miserable rock of a planet. Everyone else, however, was devastated by the news.

"Did anyone survive?" asked Sabine.

"The population's been taken captive," answered Ezra.

"Let's go bust 'em out. Where's my rifle?" growled Zeb, ready for a fight.

"Get yourself killed another day Lasat. We're leaving this world," Sister scoffed.

"I didn't ask for your opinion witch," hissed Zeb.

"No she's right Zeb. He'd be waiting," Kanan spoke up. Everyone knew he was referring to Vader and no one here was dumb enough to fight him again.

"You were right before Hera," Kanan continued. "We have no choice. We have to leave."

"For the good of Lothal," agreed Hera.

"Yes yes yes. For the good of Lothal, truth, justice, and all that garbage. Now how do we get off this rock?" demanded an inpatient Sister.

Hera threw her an annoyed look. "Lando had a few old transponders lying around. Sabine's going to tune their signature codes to match our shuttle's," she explained.

"Sounds like a lousy Lando plan," grumbled Kanan.

"No. It was Lando's gear, it's my plan," protested Sabine. "With these transponders beaming out the same signal as the shuttle, we should be able to slip by unnoticed."

"Sounds like a lousy Sabine plan," chuckled Zeb.

"Better than Lando's," muttered Kanan.

"Have I ever mentioned you people use the words should, probably, and hopefully far too much in your so called plans?" grunted Sister.

* * *

Second Sister was surprised the plan went off without a hitch. Using the transponders to trick the Imperial blockade allowed Hera to pilot the hijacked shuttle far enough away from the planet's gravitational pull to jump into hyperspace. Either the Imperials in charge of it must have been asleep at their terminals or perhaps the rebels weren't as incompetent as they sometimes appear to be.

"Never thought I'd say this but thank you Lando Calrission," Hera said as she entered the passenger compartment.

Chopper muttered something about Lothal was now off limits for them.

"So if we can't go back to Lothal, where are we going?" wondered Kanan.

"What are you talking about?" asked a confused Hera. "We're part of the Rebellion now."

"Speak for yourselves," muttered an annoyed Sister.

"We are and now do us a favor and don't speak at all," growled Zeb. It was growing more and more tempting to use the Force to wring that Lasat's neck.

"Are we a part of anything? Are we all sure about that?" questioned Kanan. Finally a Jedi with a brain cell or two.

"Maybe we could just grab the Ghost and lay low for a while," shrugged Sabine. Seems intelligence might be contagious among this crew.

"I like fighting with Phoenix Squadron. Reminds me of the Honor Guard. Besides they're counting on us. Wouldn't be right to abandon them now," remarked Zeb. Sister retracted her previous thought about intelligence being contagious.

"Ezra what do you think?" inquired Hera.

 _Here comes the hero speech_ Sister thought to herself.

"We can't help Lothal now but I think the rebels can help us get stronger so we can go back and change things," answered Ezra. "I think we should stay with the rebel fleet."

Kanan didn't say anything, keeping his own thoughts to himself and Sister did the same.

* * *

The rest of the trip back to the fleet was uneventful and quiet at least for Second Sister. While the others were trying to make up their minds about staying with the larger rebellion, Sister had already made up her mind. She was not going to get herself killed for some hopeless cause, especially now that Vader was on their trail. They may have gotten away from him but he won't give up. He'll chase them to the ends of the galaxy and Sister wasn't sticking around for the slaughter.

"So it's back to Nar Shaddaa for you?" asked Ezra who had sat down beside her.

"That was the plan from the start," commented Sister.

"But it's gotten delayed for quite a while," remarked Ezra.

Sister threw him a look. "Please tell me you're not going to try and talk me out of it," she grumbled.

"No more speeches. I've said everything I'm going to say. I just want to thank you for helping us. The others may not say it out loud especially ," Ezra said.

The ship shook as Sister could hear docking clamps engaging. Looks like they've back home. Sister nearly scoffed at herself for thinking the rebels capital ship as home. She only spend the past couple of weeks on-board it while she was recuperating but yet it had become familiar to her. Sister, however, knew the real reason why she stayed as long as she did. She dreamed about an earlier time in her life, one she'd rather forget, and saw that Ezra was going to suffer. It was a glimpse of the future through the Force. Unfortunately, the Force doesn't just outright explain everything so its visions and dreams reveal things via metaphors and symbolism. Its message was quite clear, Ezra was going to die and if Sister left now then he wouldn't stand a chance.

Sister followed the others as they disembarked from the shuttle and through the airlock onto the warship Rebel Home. They didn't get a few steps inside before Chopper came flying out of the Ghost, chasing after the others and screaming in Droid Speak.

"Chopper said a transmitter activated on our shuttle moments ago," gasped Sabine. Hera urgently rushed off down the corridor, probably to warn Commander Sato.

"What does that mean?" asked Ezra.

"It means the Empire tracked us back to the fleet," said Kanan who took off running towards the bridge along with the rest of the Ghost Crew.

"I knew it was too good to be true. There's no way we could have escaped Vader unless he wanted us to," hissed Sister.

"Commander Sato! We need the fleet to jump out of here! Our shuttle was tracked!" Hera shouted as she burst onto the bridge ahead of the others. Sato and Ahsoka had been in mid-conversation before the Ghost Crew rushed inside. Neither one of them had a chance to react before a klaxon caught everyone's attention.

"Commander I'm scanning a ship entering our sector. It's heading straight for us," reported the tactical officer.

"Are there any others?" asked Sato.

"No sir. No other ships have entered the system," answered the tactical officer.

"It's a scout. We need to leave now," urged Sister.

"It's not that simple. At least one of our capital ships is undergoing maintenance in its engines. We have to hold out until they can bring their hyperdrive back online and if that takes too long, we need the rest of our ships to pick up its crew should they need to evacuate," explained Sato. "Move Phoenix Squadron to intercept!"

Sister stood their flabbergasted. Any second now that Tie was going to identify who they were and confirm their location to an Imperial fleet. After that, it won't be long before the rebels will be swarmed by Star Destroyers and Tie Fighters. She watched the holo table as it displayed the sensor readings of Phoenix Squadron represented by blue dots moving towards the single red dot.

"Fighter coming in on mark 3."

"He's coming in too fast."

"We've lost Phoenix One and Two."

One by one, the blue dots were vanishing from screen. Whoever was piloting that Tie Fighter wasn't just an ace but something more altogether.

Hera activated the com. "Fleet raise deflector shields," she ordered.

"Uhh…He's heading right for us," gulped Ezra. The red dot approached Phoenix Home. Seconds later, lights dimmed as the ship shook from blaster fire. This Tie pilot was making a mockery out of the entire rebel fleet.

"How can one fighter best our entire squadron?" grumbled Sato.

"You're pilots are outmatched Commander," replied Hera. She dashed towards the exit.

"What are you doing?" demanded Kanan.

Hera stopped to turn and say, "Getting involved."

"By the Force that was cliché," Sister muttered to herself as the Twi'lek Captain rushed off the bridge.

"Not without me you're not," grumbled Kanan who took off after Hera.

"Let's go. Ezra, Zeb come on," said Sabine who chased off after the others. The Lasat didn't say anything before following the Mandalorian.

"Alright if I tag along?" Ahsoka asked Ezra.

"The more the merrier," the kid shrugged. He turned to Sister and asked, "You coming?"

Sister just sighed and followed the two Jedi as they headed towards the door. "This doesn't mean I've staying," she fumed.

* * *

" _Everyone check in,"_ Hera's voice came on over the com. Second Sister took a seat in the nose gun turret as the others checked in.

" _Tail gun check,"_ reported Zeb.

" _Turret check,"_ reported Sabine.

"Just get me a clean shot Death Wish and I'll take care of the rest," Sister said.

" _Not if I get 'em first,"_ protested Zeb.

" _Calm down kids. Do Mom and Dad proud,"_ chimed in Hera.

"Don't call me kid," grumbled Sister as the Ghost detached from Phoenix Home. The ship made a beeline towards the Tie Fighter which was hammering the rebel flagship.

" _I'm on him,"_ said Sabine as blaster fire from the top of the Ghost sprayed across the void of space. The Mandalorian might be an expert marksman but the pilot managed to roll and zig zag everyone of Sabine's shots.

" _Sithspawn. Who is this guy?"_ cursed a frustrated Sabine.

" _Phoenix Home to Ghost. We cannot sustain another attack from that fighter,"_ reported Commander Sato. Second Sister suppressed the urge to remind him that they should have retreated when they had the chance.

" _Copy that. Phoenix Squadron, form up and focus fire,"_ replied Hera.

The Ghost chased after the Tie, finally giving Sister a closer look at her prey. It was an Advanced Tie Interceptor, similar to the ones the Inquisitors use. Considering how good the pilot was, she at first assumed it was an Inquisitor at the helm but none of them were this good. Second Sister focus not with her eyes but with her mind, stretching out with the Force. What she felt almost made her recoil in horror. It was him!

"Vader…It's Vader!" shouted Sister. Her fingers hit the firing buttons on her controls, clenching them so hard it hurt. Sister could hear the others talking on the com but she didn't even hear them, instead focusing her mind completely to the destruction of her former Master. Rapid fire bolts of energy streaked towards Vader's fighter but every last one of them missed. The Sith Lord was too good, avoiding each and every shot. That only drove Sister harder as she continued firing away, just needing one bolt to hit its target. If his ship was damaged, then she could finish him off. Vader needed to die and die now!

" _Sister hold your fire! You're overtaxing the gun's power cells!"_ shouted Hera. Sister kept firing with a single minded objective of killing her enemy. The Tie Fighter made another pass at Phoenix Home then suddenly veered off out of sight. An enraged Sister slammed her fists down on the turret console.

" _Captain Syndulla. Whatever you're doing keep it up. The fleet can recover,"_ chimed in Sato.

" _No Commander you need to get the fleet out of here way!"_ Kanan said.

" _I will not abandon our command ship!"_ protested Sato.

"Stay with him! I need a clear shot!" shouted Sister, not caring about anything else other than blowing Vader into dust.

" _You won't need to worry about that. He's coming after us now,"_ replied Sabine.

" _You don't have a choice sir. Without a hyperdrive, you must abandon ship,"_ Hera urged her commander.

"Forget your worthless ship! Focus on Vader!" shouted Sister. A sight up ahead suddenly cooled her rage. Three Star Destroyers dropped out of hyperspace and were moving to intercept the fleet. The ship shook from blaster fire damage to the flank and there was no other enemy ship in the vicinity. The Mandalorian was right. Vader was after the Ghost. He must have figured out who was onboard and the three Jedi and Second Sister were worth more to him then the entire rebel fleet.

" _Now or never Commander,"_ Kanan spoke.

" _I regretfully agree. All hands abandon ship. You'll have to keep that fighter occupied,"_ replied Sato.

" _Somehow I don't think that'll be a problem,"_ gulped Ezra. The ship shook from another pass by the Tie Fighter.

" _Suddenly there's a lot to do back here,"_ Zeb said nervously. As Vader was chasing them, that left the Lasat with trying to hit the Sith Lord. Sister wasn't very optimistic about his chances. She could run across the ship and forcibly take Zeb's place but there was no telling how many other fighters were being deployed by those Star Destroyers. When in a combat station, all hands need to remain in their stations. Otherwise a squadron of Ties could show up and try to blast the Ghost into dust while Second Sister was playing musical chairs with the turret stations.

" _Sorry to foil your fun Zeb but I'm ordering Chopper to divert all power to the hyperdrive. Including cannons,"_ said Hera.

" _Hera what are you doing?"_ protested Sabine. The Mandalorian got her answer as the Ghost was turning directly towards the Imperial fleet.

"You do know you're supposed to run away from Star Destroyers right Deathwish?" protested Sister.

" _Just hold on. I've got a plan"_ replied Hera. The Twi'lek was starting to live up to that nickname.

"Suicide doesn't count as a plan," grumbled Sister.

" _Ghost Crew the escape pods are secure. Fleet commence hyperspace jump,"_ Sato ordered.

" _Copy that Commander. We'll meet you at Safe Haven,"_ Hera replied.

" _Fleet is away. Get us out of here,"_ reported Sabine.

" _Everyone hang on,"_ Hera called out. The Ghost shot straight towards the three Star Destroyers at full speed. Green blaster fire streak around the craft as Vader tried to line up a crippling shot to a critical system.

" _Chopper angle all deflector astern…The Star Destroyers aren't firing at us now do it fast!"_ ordered Hera, arguing with the astromech. The Imperial capital ships grew larger and larger yet didn't fire a single shot. They were either trying to avoid hitting Vader or readying a tractor beam.

" _Uhh…Hera you can practically reach out and touch them,"_ gulped Ezra.

Suddenly the stars blurred as the pitch blackness of space was replaced by the glowing blue effects of hyper speed. Sister breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was a close call but they managed to escape.

* * *

Darth Vader was less than pleased as he listened to Agent Kallus and Admiral Konstantine report on their victory. Vader couldn't care less about the rebel fleet or that Lothal was now secure, only the Jedi and Second Sister was his concern. And now Anakin Skywalker's former pupil had emerged from hiding. Vader assumed she was dead but now he knew otherwise.

"Clear the bridge," Vader ordered. Kallus and Konstantine exchanged looks and quickly left the room. Now with privacy, the Sith Lord entered a com frequency on the holo table. He didn't need to wait long before he got a reply. Vader dropped to one knee and bowed his head as the com channel opened.

" _Lord Vader,"_ Darth Sidious's voice greeted him as a holographic image of the master came into form. _"Have you dealt with the rebels in the Lothal System?"_

"Yes Master. The Rebels are broken," reported Vader.

" _And yet I sense in you something more to your victory,"_ added Sidious.

"I believe the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker lives and is in league with these rebels," Vader answered.

" _Are you certain?"_ inquired Sidious.

" _It was her,"_ Vader said without a doubt in his mind.

" _Interesting. First the Jedi Caleb Dume reappears so then takes an apprentice of his own. Second Sister finds her way to them and now Skywalker's apprentice. Individually they mean nothing but together they represent something far worse than any rebellion,"_ spoke Sidious.

"And what is that?" asked Vader.

" _The foundations of a new Jedi Order. They must be hunted down and stopped before their numbers grow even further. Kenobi and Yoda still remain unaccounted for. Should one of these two join them…"_ Sidious warned.

"They will die like the others," Vader said confidently.

" _Though perhaps we can turn this into an opportunity. If the Togruta knows the whereabouts of any other survivors, she must be brought back to me alive. Only together can we expand her understanding of the Force and she will embrace the dark side. She will tell us where the remaining Jedi can be found,"_ smiled Sidious.

"Such as Kenobi?" Vader spoke his mind, relishing the thought of choking the life out of Skywalker's former master.

" _Perhaps if he lives. Be patient my friend. Dispatch the rest of the Inquisitors to hunt them down. All of them,"_ ordered Sidious.

"As you wish my master," replied Vader. The transmission ended as Sidious's image faded away. Vader then typed in another com channel and sent out a signal. He didn't need to wait long for his response.

A holographic image of Third Sister appeared. "Yes Lord Vader?" she spoke.

"Assemble all the Inquisitors. Anakin Skywalker's former pupil lives," explained Vader.

"Ahsoka Tano is alive?" Third asked.

"The Emperor demands she be brought back to him alive," ordered Vader.

"And what of Second Sister, Caleb Dume, and Ezra Bridger?" inquired Third.

"They are no longer important. Kill them all," ordered Vader.

"Yes my lord. I look forward to meeting my old friend once more," Third spoke, removing her helmet and revealing a pair of yellow eyes on her Mirialan face.

(Well I suppose I don't need to mention who Third Sister is now hint hint. Was going to include a scene between Second Sister and Ahsoka but decided it was long enough. I'll save that next chapter and more importantly Captain Rex. People have been hyped about his reunion with Varra and I intend not to disappoint.)


	23. Chapter 23

(Warning: the flashbacks for Varra are going to get dark from this point on and I mean very dark.)

Sister waited in the Ghost's supply closet that had doubled as her room and cell when she first met the Lothal rebels. They had certainly come a long way since then. What had originally been just a small band of people victimized by the Empire had turned into something larger. They had gone from raiding supplies to blowing up Imperial Star Destroyers. From fighting to stay alive to slaying the Grand Inquisitor. Okay Sister helped on that last thing but she'll admit maybe there's more than just luck when it comes to these people. Maybe they stood a better chance against the Empire then she originally thought. With Ahsoka Tano and the larger rebellion, the odds were still against them but it was the closest anyone's ever come to challenging the Empire.

After escaping from Vader, the Ghost rendezvoused with the surviving rebel fleet which wasn't in the best condition. They had just lost two capital ships such as Phoenix Home along with another other ship that had engine troubles. The rebels were forced to scuttle it and wipe its computer systems before abandoning it. Add to the loss of Phoenix squadron and the rebels were incredibly vulnerable. Right now a couple of Imperial Corvettes would slaughter the entire fleet if engaged.

Sister's inner thoughts were disturbed when the door to the closet opened and the Togruta Jedi stepped inside. "Mind if I come in?" asked Ahsoka.

"You just did," muttered Sister. She was hoping for some solitude away from the crew. Things were still tense with them after what went down on Lothal but Sister was no means going to apologize. That would imply she was sorry for what happened and she wasn't.

Ahsoka just smiled at that. "I wasn't sure if you'd still be around when I woke up," she commented.

Sister heard that the Togruta tried to use the Force on Vader during their last space battle. Didn't end well for her as she fell unconscious. It was a stupid idea and Sister would have told her so had she been on the bridge with her at the time.

"No flights to Nar Shaddaa at the moment. Apparently the fleet needs the Ghost since they lost most of their ship-to-ship fighters," grumbled Sister.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say the crew wants you to stay," joked Ahsoka.

"Oh believe me they would love nothing better than for me to get out of their hair especially after Lothal," protested Sister.

"Everyone except Ezra," pointed Ahsoka.

"That kid is so naïve, so incredibly…" muttered Sister.

"Like you were at his age," Ahsoka interrupted. That hit a nerve and the Togruta knew it from looking at Sister's face.

"But enough about that. I wanted to talk to you about Vader" Ahsoka said as she sat down on the floor.

"There's nothing to talk about. I don't know who he is or where he came from. I don't know if he was a Jedi turned to the dark side or if he's always been a Sith his entire life. All I know is wherever he is, it's the last place in the galaxy you should be," replied Sister.

"Well that's the problem. He's coming after all of us," pointed Ahsoka.

"All the more reason to get as far away from Imperial space as possible," said Sister.

"It doesn't matter how far you run. He'll still come for you, me, Kanan, Ezra, and everyone else," Ahsoka spoke.

"Tell that to Master Yoda or Kenobi. Those two have been missing ever since the fall of the Republic and there hasn't been a single sighting of either one of them. If they're still alive then that proves someone can hide from the Empire and Vader," pointed out Sister.

"A part of me hopes they're not because I'm not sure I can understand why either one of them could just stand by and watch the galaxy suffer. After I left the Jedi, I tried to run away from it all. But no matter where I went, the Empire was there. I hide in a small village on the planet Raada. It was insignificant and peaceful and yet the Empire came anyways so they could force the local villagers to harvest crops used for Imperial rations. Didn't matter that the plants killed off the farmers crops, they just came in and killed anyone who fought against them. I managed to get the villagers to safety but that was when I realized that nowhere was safe from the Emperor's reach. The Empire would take worlds by force even if it didn't make any rational sense. They just want to conquer and control everything, that will eventually include Nar Shaddaa," explained Ahsoka.

"So your solution is to fight them right? Ask Phoenix Squadron how well that worked out for them," scoffed Sister.

"You're right. We're doing this wrong. We need to fight smart and to do that we need the right kind of soldiers. Ones with experience on how to defeat a strong enemy with limited resources," Ahsoka replied.

"I hope this isn't some subtle form of flattery to get me to stay. Killing my master and getting betrayed by the Council was my specialty, not battlefield command," remarked Sister.

"Wasn't talking about you. I've been looking for an old friend ever since I joined the rebellion. His name is Rex and he was a captain in the Republic Army during the Clone Wars," Ahsoka said. Rex? That name sounded familiar but Sister couldn't remember why.

"And you think an Imperial officer will just defect to the rebellion because of you?" frowned Sister.

"He's not an officer anymore. Last I heard he retired and went off grid. I finally got a lead on where he's staying but so far he hasn't answered any of attempts to communicate with him," explained Ahsoka.

"Sounds like he's made up his mind then," shrugged Sister.

"Or he's unable to receive any transmissions or respond. Either way I think it's a solid lead and I've convinced Hera to take her team to the Seelos System and find him," replied Ahsoka.

"They're too busy to drop me off on Nar Shaddaa but have enough free time to go play hide and seek with your friend!" snapped Sister.

"Don't worry. If you go with them, they'll drop you off afterwards," shrugged Ahsoka.

"I'm starting to think I need to hijack a ship if I ever want to get away from you people," grumbled Sister.

"I can't go with you. I've got a lead on Vader and need to check it out on my own," Ahsoka said as she got to her feet.

"You're what?!" shouted Sister, rising to her feet. "You actually want to find him! He will kill you or worse, drag you to his psychotic funhouse on Mustafar."

"I'm not planning on facing him anytime soon. I just need information though I appreciate the concern," smiled Ahsoka.

"Don't look too deep into it. You can get yourself killed for all I care," scoffed Sister.

"Well I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Just help Ezra and the others find my friend. I think the two of you might have more in common than you might think. After the mission, the Ghost crew will take you wherever you want to," Ahsoka suggested before leaving.

* * *

"Why is she coming with us?" grumbled Zeb. The Lasat's been in a sour mood ever since he found out their favorite ex-Inquisitor was coming along for another mission. After their losses fighting that Sith Lord, the rebels needed more fighters and more importantly a base. They needed a safe haven to effect repairs after missions without constantly jumping from one system to the next which wasted precious fuel. Ahsoka suggested fighting an old friend of hers who knew the Outer Rim better than anyone she knew. She couldn't guarantee he would help but it was worth a shot.

The fleet was still suffering a shortage of fighters so the Ghost would stay behind along with Hera to pilot it with Sabine and Chopper to main the turrets. So Ezra, Kanan, Zeb, and Second Sister would take the Phantom and find this soldier and hopefully recruit him. Ahsoka strongly urged Hera that Sister join the mission though she didn't say why. Ezra knew that the former Inquisitor wanted to leave as soon as possible so they were to drop her off at Nar Shaddaa after the mission was over. It seemed a little strange that the Togruta insisted Sister tag along.

"Look on the bright side Zeb. After this mission, she'll be out of our hair for good," Kanan pointed out from the pilot's chair.

"She saved our lives from that Sith Lord back on Lothal," Ezra reminded them, a little annoyed how quick they were to just discard Sister. Sure Ezra wasn't naïve to think she was fighting the Empire for the same reasons as they were. She fights for revenge with the Ghost crew fights to protect people.

"After she ran away to save her own skin!" snapped Zeb. "She only came back because that shuttle we took was the only way for her to get off planet."

"Then why did she come with us to Lothal in the first place?" frowned Ezra.

"Uhh…" Zeb stuttered, needing more time to think that one over.

The shuttle's rear hatch opened and Second Sister stepped in. Everyone went silent as she took a seat and strapped herself.

"Just so we're clear, I'm heading to Nar Shaddaa directly after this mission. If you don't drop me off there before you get back to the fleet…," Sister warned.

"Yeah yeah you'll disembowel us or something. We get it," grumbled Kanan.

* * *

"What is taking so long? Vader's associate should have been here by now," complained Admiral Konstantine. Agent Kallus had to listen to the Imperial officer consistently complain over the past hour. They had been ordered by Vader to await the arrival of one of his agents and that she would be taking over the hunt for these rebels. Konstantine was probably irritated because he wasn't assigned as the lead. Kallus, on the other hand, was happy to let someone else take command. He's seen the price of failure for Imperial officers so better the axe fall on someone else's head then his own.

"Sir a shuttle just dropped out of hyperspace…they're transmitting a clearance code and informing that Lord Vader's specialist is onboard," reported the com officer.

"Well then we had better greet our new arrival," commented Kallus.

The two made their way quickly with an honor guard to the hangar bay where an Imperial Lambda shuttle was landing. Such a vehicle was often used to transport high valued officers or government officials. The fact that this specialist was riding something like that implored her importance. Konstantine tried to fix minute details on his uniform as the shuttle's landing ramp lowered to the floor.

Kallus had expected to see someone large and imposing but was surprised a female figure covered in armor walked down the ramp. She was smaller than both imperial officers but her armor implied looks weren't everything. Vader's agent wore the armor of an Inquisitor. Kallus knew there were more than one after his encounters with the Grand Inquisitor and Sixth Brother but how many was a complete mystery. The Inquisitors revealed nothing about themselves or the rest of their mysterious order. All Kallus knew for certain were that they hunted Jedi.

"Welcome aboard Inquisitor. My name is…" Konstantine spoke.

"I know who you are Admiral Konstantine and you Agent Kallus," the Inquisitor interrupted. She approached the ISB agent and handed him a datapad.

Kallus quickly skimmed through to see it was a list of names. "What is this?" he asked.

"A list of known associates for Ahsoka Tano. Have the Imperial Security Bureau run surveillance and monitor all their communications. Ahsoka didn't survive this long on her own, she had help from at least one of these people," explained the Inquisitor.

She walked past the officers and heading towards the exit. "Inform me of any findings."

"Can I at least have your name sir?" requested Kallus.

"Third Sister," answered the Inquisitor.

* * *

When the Phantom arrived at Seelos, Ezra plugged the head of an old Separatist tactical droid into the navi-computer. Ahsoka said these things were great at tracking people down so the idea was that it could hopefully find this commander.

"This whole planet is just one giant desert. The only people who would come to a place like this either crashed or they wanted to hide," Sister commented.

"For once I actually agree with her," replied Zeb. Sister didn't acknowledge the Lasat in any way, both of them just preferring not to speak to one another.

The droid head began beeping with its eyes lighting up. It spouted letters and numbers in different sequences with Ezra having no idea what they meant. That was until he glanced at the navi-computer. "It's homing in on something," Ezra commented.

"Let's take a look," said Kanan, piloting the shuttle towards the coordinates. Zeb and Sister got up from their seats and glanced over Kanan's seat to get a better look.

"There up ahead," Zeb pointed into the distance. Ezra could make out something moving on the desert surface. It looked like some kind of four legged machine with a crane and smoke spewing out of exhaust ports at the top. As they got closer, Ezra could tell the machine was old and a long of the parts attached to it had either been replaced or jerry-rigged onto it. The crane didn't look like it belonged to it and neither did the landing pad on the machine's back.

"That's an AT-TE…or at least it used to be. I haven't seen one of those since the Clone Wars," Sister realized.

"Yeah," agreed Kanan, sounding a little nervous. The tank came to a halt, obviously the passengers noticing the shuttle passing over them. Kanan brought the Phantom down gently directly in front the tank. Ezra hoped its guns were decommissioned or this trip could get very ugly if whoever's controlling that tank decides they don't want visitors. Fortunately, none of the rebels were shot at as they disembark from the Phantom.

"Ezra be on guard," Kanan warned his Padawan. Something had him on edge but Ezra just kept his mouth shut and nodded. He noticed that several ammo clips were hanging on the tank's balcony, banging together like wind chimes. The balcony door opened as three men stepped outside. To Ezra's surprise, they all looked the same. Aside from some difference in hair style and beards, the three of them could have been triplets.

"It's just a bunch of old geezers," scoffed Zeb.

"What do you want?" one of the 'old geezers' called out.

"We're looking for someone," answered Kanan.

"Well that's too bad because there's nobody out here," the 'old geezer' replied.

"That voice…I've heard it before," whispered Sister.

Ezra threw her a look and then back to the triplets. "Hey does the number 7567 mean anything to you?" he asked.

"What did you just say?" the 'old geezer' demanded. Clearly that number meant something to him and his friends judging from their reactions.

"Uh…7567?" repeated a confused Ezra.

"Well I haven't heard those digits since…that's my birth number," called out the main geezer.

"Clones!" hissed Kanan, igniting his lightsaber. Sister grabbed her own saber and ignited it as well, activating its spin function.

"Kanan wait! Stop" pleaded Ezra.

"Jedi! They've come back for revenge!" one of the geezers shouted. He raised his blaster rifle and opened fire but Kanan easily deflected each one aside.

Zeb pulled out his bo-rifle and was about to return fire. "Drop the blaster old man!" he shouted.

"Don't try it boyo. I'll gun you down!" the third geezers retorted.

"Stand down troopers! Now! That's an order soldier!" shouted the main geezer, commanding his two comrades to cease fire.

"But they're Jedi! A Jedi!" pleaded the second geezer pleaded, not sounding very mentally stable.

"Don't call me that!" warned Second Sister.

"They weren't the ones who betrayed us. Remember Wolfe, remember," the main geezer spoke to the second, calming him down.

"Kanan, Ahsoka said to trust them," Ezra urged his master.

"Uhh…sorry about the…um…weapons malfunction," the main geezer tried to laugh off what just happened. "My friend here is just a little defensive. See we haven't seen a Jedi since…well's it been awhile."

"Next time there's a weapons malfunction, they'll be some accidental decapitations," warned Sister. Ezra cleared his throat and glared at her. She gave him an annoyed glance but deactivated her lightsaber. Kanan did the same while Zeb lowered his rifle but no one let go of their weapons.

Ezra stepped forward. "Well my name's Ezra. This is Kanan, Zeb, and….Second Sister," he introduced everyone. He was also careful not to mention Sister's real name.

"Second Sister? What kind of a name is that?" frowned the third geezer.

"What kind of a name is CT-7567?" retorted Sister.

"Actually my name is Rex of the…" the main geezer said.

"Captain Rex?" gasped Sister. "Of the 501st Clone Battalion?"

Rex frowned, staring at her. "I don't believe it," he gasped then smiled. "It's good to see you again Commander."

* * *

Second Sister was kicking herself mentally over not realizing it sooner. A famous military commander named Rex, how could she not have remembered him? It's true she hadn't seen him in over fifteen years but she should have figured it out sooner. There was one person however who did and that was Ahsoka. She had to have known that Sister and Rex knew each other. Why else would she insist on Sister joining this mission? Though it begs the question what did Ahsoka think would happen if the two meet again? Sister didn't know that answer so how could that Togruta know?

The Clones led the Ghost crew into the control room of their tank. The walking junk pile was more than just their ride, turns out it was also their home. To call it a dump was being generous. Sister wasn't sure how this thing hadn't fallen apart let alone still lumbering around in a desert. There was a reason the AT-TE was replaced by the AT-AT. The newer four legged walker might not be as robust as the older model but it was larger, more firepower, and far better armored.

"Whoa," Ezra gasped, picking up an old clone trooper helmet like a little kid picking up a new toy.

"Hey. Easy with those son," protested Rex.

"Oh yeah I might move the dust," chuckled Ezra who set the helmet back down.

"So Commander Tano sent you? How is she?" inquired Rex.

"Uh well, in need of help. We all are," explained Ezra. "Look we're trying to fight the Empire but we're outnumbered, overmatched, and taking a beating. We could use your help."

"And some of us are just hitching a ride," grumbled Sister. Ezra, Kanan, and Zeb all glared at her.

"Just being honest," shrugged Sister.

"Well I'm not sure I'm much help to anyone these days," sighed Rex. "Didn't you hear? The Emperor said the clone army has out served its purpose and retired us. Now we spend our days telling stories and slinging for joopas."

Well Captain Rex certainly sounded miserable. He was born for one purpose and that was to fight. Now he and his brothers won that war and were cast aside by the Empire. Not all the clones were shelved, some went onto prominent positions such as members of the Emperor's Royal Guard. But Sister could understand Rex's anger. He fought for a government that cast him aside once he was no longer useful, same as the former Inquisitor.

"This was a wasted trip," groaned Kanan. "You heard the clone. He's not interested."

Now Hera's favorite Jedi sounded miserable and Second Sister had an idea why.

Kanan turned to leave as Ezra said, "Wait. You don't like the Empire do you?"

"Well the Empire certainly isn't the Republic but you can't do anything about that," answered Rex.

"My sentiments exactly," chuckled Sister.

"You could fight. Both of you," Ezra said, glancing both at Second Sister and Rex. Sister gave him an annoyed glare. How long was it going to take that kid to figure out she wasn't staying?

Rex shook his head. "Sorry son. My days as a soldier are over," he said.

"Well okay then maybe there's one thing you can help us with. We need a base," Ezra said almost sounding desperate. "Ahsoka said you knew all sorts of secret locations in the Outer Rim."

Rex thought it over for a moment then glanced over at Gregor who nodded in approval while Wolfe shook his head. "Well my memory isn't what it once was but there are a few spots I never bothered to report to the Empire," Rex spoke.

He placed a hand on Ezra's shoulder, ushering him towards the door. He also motioned for Zeb to do the same. "Look why don't you wait outside and I'll put together a list of coordinates," Rex offered.

Second Sister didn't move an inch towards the door. Something about the way he talked made her suspicious. The man may claim to be a friend of Ahsoka but was it true? They hadn't seen each other in nearly ten years. A lot can change in that time.

"Commander if you could just step aside for a…" Rex encouraged her.

"I think I'll stay. It's too humid outside," Sister said with a smile that openly expressed her distrust. She glanced at Zeb and Ezra, motioning for them both to leave. They just nodded and headed outside. Staying with them long enough fostered a little bit of trust.

"Alright then," Rex replied. He waited until the doors closed before saying, "It's been a long time Commander Kayne. It's been what? Ten years since Umbara?"

"Feels like a lifetime ago," commented Sister. It was hard to tell if Rex was genuinely happy to see her or just acting.

"Another life," agreed Rex.

"You and you friends are in trouble aren't you?" accused Wolfe.

"They're Jedi and clones should know better than anyone how much the Empire wants them all gone," remarked Sister. She wasn't telling them what they didn't already know. That's why she was staying in the control room to make sure the clones didn't decide to sell them out to the Empire.

"I knew it. We can't help them Rex. If the Empire finds out we aided Jedi, they will come after us," Wolfe warned. He wasn't wrong. Aiding and abetting known terrorists was enough to get you send to a forced labor camp or simply lined up in front of a firing squad.

"Oh relax Wolfe. We got the situation under control," chuckled Gregor. Sister had a funny suspicion his mental status wasn't entirely sane.

"Control? What if the Empire finds out?" snapped Wolfe.

"They won't unless you tell them," remarked Sister, narrowing her eyes. The clones picked up on her subtle accusation.

"You think we'd just betray all of you and call the Empire here?" frowned Rex.

"The thought did cross my mind," remarked Sister.

"Uhh…you know what. I think now would be a good time to go slinging," Gregor said, immediately heading out the door. Wolfe joined him after eying Sister.

"I know we didn't serve much time together during the Clone Wars but I never once betrayed a friend. After what happened with Krell, I made sure never to allow mindless orders to jeopardize lives ever again," protested Rex.

"Until Order 66 then you followed mindless orders to kill the Jedi?" countered Sister.

"No!" snapped Rex. "I was on Mandalore when that happened. We were given the order by the Chancellor to kill Ahsoka Tano. I protected her and had to kill my own brothers to do it. We faked our deaths and went our separate ways after that."

"How? The clones had control chips," Sister frowned.

"You remember Fives? He found out about the chips and it cost him his life. After that I had mine removed. Once I linked up with Gregor and Wolfe, I helped them get rid of theirs as well. We all have a choice," explained Rex.

Sister didn't have anything to say to that. She didn't like talking to the former Captain. It made her feel too vulnerable. He knew who she was, he knew about her old life and Sister couldn't stand it. Rex still saw her as that naïve Padawan who blindly followed her treacherous master. He still thought of her as Varra Kayne. Sister turned to leave.

"I heard about what the Jedi Council did to you," Rex spoke. His words stopped the former Inquisitor in her tracks.

"Me and the rest of the 501st issued a formal protest to the Republic High Command. I even got General Skywalker to ask Senator Amidala to petition Chancellor Palpatine to have you released but nothing came of it. I'm sorry I didn't do more," Rex said, sounding apologetic.

"Well it worked out in the end. The Jedi Council is dead and I'm alive. That's good enough justice for me," grunted Sister.

"Because you helped hunted them down?" asked Rex. Sister's neutral facade was replaced with shock, having been caught completely off guard. How could he know about the Inquisitors? Most Imperial officers still thought they were nothing but tall tales.

"I heard rumors about a secret organization within the Empire," Rex answered her thoughts. "Specialists who were sent in to deal with Jedi who survived Order 66. I take it you were one of them."

"How did you know?" whispered Sister.

"Call it a guess. The Empire attacked the Jedi Temple and killed nearly everyone in it. So either you escaped during the chaos or they decided not to kill you. And the only reason they wouldn't do that is because they wanted something from you. What better person to hunt down Jedi then someone who was a Jedi," explained Rex.

* * *

 _Second Sister held on as the transport descended down the large shafts that served as highways and air vents to the lower levels of Coruscant. It was said the lower you went into the planet, the worse it got. Below level 1000, the planet was considered a giant cesspit of crime, poverty, and violence. It was also the perfect place to go if you wanted to hide._

" _Local gangsters provided a tip of several high valued targets," explained the Grand Inquisitor. He held up a miniature holo-projector that displayed the layout of a large warehouse. "Jedi Master Tera Sinube was spotted along with multiple Jedi Padawans who were confirmed to have escaped the purge of the Jedi Temple."_

" _Why haven't they tried to escape Coruscant already?" asked Third Sister._

" _Security has their faces plastered on every spaceport and transport hub on the upper levels. They also probably don't trust any smugglers to get them off planet," answered the Grand Inquisitor._

" _Smart. For the bounty on their heads, it would set up any criminal for life," commented Second Sister._

" _Local authorities are surrounding the building. We'll use them as cannon fodder and go in first, revealing any surprises the Jedi may have ready. Third Sister, you will enter via that West entrance while Second Sister will enter through the East entrance. I will handle the primary entrance. Lord Vader wants Master Sinube dead but the fate of the padawans is at your discretion. If any one may be considered useful take them alive but if they resist, terminate them," ordered the Grand Inquisitor._

* * *

 _Second Sister cut her the door of the West entrance open with her lightsaber and cautiously stepped inside. The warehouse was used as storage for a shipping company that had long fallen into bankruptcy. Now the building was in legal limbo with no one officially owning it. It was actually quite common for such structures on the lower levels to remain like that for years or even decades. Usually they were stripped bare of anything useful by scavengers and used by the occasional squatters. Only this time the squatters were among the Empire's most wanted._

 _Second Sister could make out blaster fire. The local authorities must have made their move. Getting those idiots to go in first was actually quite easy. All the Grand Inquisitor had to do was promise to reward them with the bounty for the Jedi if they killed or captured any. They would fail of course but they made a good distraction. Second Sister leaped onto a stack of cargo containers, getting a bird's eye view of the room._

 _Coruscant Underworld Police engaged with multiple young Jedi padawans that was incredibly one-sided. The Jedi were easily thrashing their opponents with ease, flinging them around with the Force or slashing the police's blaster weapons. Second Sister could make out at least eight younglings and an older Jedi that she recognized as Tera Sinube. The padawans she recognized consisted of a young human male named Petro, a male Wookiee named Gungi, a female Tholothian named Katooni, an male Ithorian named Byph, a female Rodian named Ganodi, a male Nautolan named Zatt, a female Mirialan named Krona, and a male Sakiyan named Adonis. This was going to be the biggest coup yet for the Inquisitorius. Eight Padawans and a Jedi Master all in one day._

 _Petro easily knocked down a cop and held his lightsaber to the man's throat. He was certainly more aggressive which might make him more suitable to be an Inquisitor. Second Sister labeled him as a possible candidate. Most of the others fought to either disable their opponents or render them unconscious. Jedi concepts of the value of life still infected their minds. Most of them were hopeless and either wouldn't accept the dark side or simply be too weak to survive the training._

" _Petro enough. He is beaten," commanded Sinube. The old Master had his lightsaber crane out, energy blade ignited. Petro lowered his blade and then kicked the cop in the face, knocking him out. How disappointing._

" _Besides. I believe we are about to have far worse adversaries to deal with," the Jedi Master spoke. He turned his attention towards the main entrance as the Grand Inquisitor calmly stepped inside with a squad of Stormtroopers._

" _Master Sinube. How good to finally see you again," smiled the Pau'an._

" _Torvis. It seems you've changed since the last time I saw you," grimaced Sinube._

" _I have changed you senile fool. I no longer serve old men who clung to outdated morals and traditions even as their foundations rotted from within," mocked the Grand Inquisitor._

" _You claim to not serve old men and yet you serve an old man and his empire," countered Sinube._

" _Better to be an accomplish then a victim," smiled the Pau'an._

" _You have taken your last victim," warned Sinube. "Children flee! I will deal with him!"_

 _The Grand Inquisitor ignited his lightsaber and the two Force wielders clashed. Second Sister ignored the fight as she concentrated on the younglings. She leaped down from her perch and landed in front of the younglings, catching them by surprise._

" _Lower your weapons or die," Second Sister warned. She ignited her lightsaber to prove her point._

 _Most of the younglings backed away, except for Petro who showed no fear. "How can you serve the Empire after everything they've done to the galaxy and the Jedi?" he snapped._

" _It's because of what they did to the Jedi that I joined them," chuckled Second Sister. Petro lunged at her with a forward slash. His technique was good…for a beginner. Second Sister easily parried the attack away then raised a clenched fist. Petro gasped as his neck was constricted by the Force, his body levitating into the air._

 _The other younglings looked like they wanted to help but never got the chance. A lightsaber ignited behind Gucci, cutting through the Wookie's chest and killing him instantly. Third Sister kicked the body away and then struck down Byph who was caught completely by surprise._

" _Run!" Katooni yelled. The younglings scattered as Third Sister pounced on Ganodi and stabbed her through the back. The Rodian was dead before she hit the ground. Petro's face was turning pale but it was clear he was horrified by the death of his friends. He suddenly hurled his lightsaber directly at Second Sister but she easily swatted it aside with her own. The boy certainly had a lot of fight in him._

" _Last chance to give up kid," Second Sister warned. She released her telekinetic hold on the boy's neck but still had him suspended in the air._

" _I'll die before I surrender to you," spat Petro._

" _If you insist," shrugged Second Sister. She pulled him towards her with the Force and impaled him with her lightsaber. She shoved the body to the floor and caught the ending of the Grand Inquisitor and Master Sinube. The Pau'an countered a move by the Old Jedi by sidestepping a downward thrust and stabbed the old man directly through the head. The Jedi dropped to the floor, lifeless as his dead students._

" _Find the rest of the younglings. Do not allow them to escape!" ordered the Grand Inquisitor._

* * *

Second Sister said nothing upon hearing Captain Rex's words. The way the clone spoke didn't sound like an accusation but it still stung nonetheless.

"I'm in no position to judge you Commander. I watched good men and women; brothers and fellow Republic officers, all join the Empire willingly. Admiral Yularen, Commander Cody, so many good people and they gladly pledged allegiance to Palpatine. A man who didn't deserve their loyalty," sighed Rex.

"And how many of them killed innocent people? Even children?" asked Sister, not interested in hearing sympathy or that she wasn't a bad person when she was.

"Too many. It was my brothers who shot the Jedi and their padawans in the back," Rex answered.

"They had chips in their heads remember?" pointed out Sister.

"Those things could only make you do so much. My brothers betrayed our Jedi generals but yet they just accepted after it was over without question," said Rex.

"If you're trying to make me feel better then you're wasting your time. I didn't need a chip in my head to get blood on my hands," replied Sister.

"General Kenobi once told me that where you're going is more important than where you've been. I never understood most of those Jedi platitudes but he told me this when I found out he worked with Asajj Ventress when fighting Darth Maul and Savage Oppress. That Separatist witch killed countless people including clones and Jedi and yet she saved his life. Later she helped us rescue a Jedi named Quinlan Vos. I'm not saying I would want to share a beer with her but she came through for us and in the end, died to save Vos. The Jedi always talked about how evil Asajj was because she was of the dark side and yet she chose another way. The dark side didn't force her to stay evil and she chose to become a better person. I guess that's all anyone of us can do," explained Rex.

Sister had nothing to respond to that. She never explained her feelings regarding herself so she wouldn't admit this to anyone but Sister thought of herself as gutter trash. She was the last face countless people saw before their death but it wasn't the worst part. It was on Mustafar that stood the monument for her worst crimes. Vader's Castle was a death factory, killing countless people the Empire wanted to pretend never existed. There was so much death there that it practically screamed pain and suffering in the Force. Second Sister helped her former Master in keeping the victims coming with nothing but pain and death awaiting them.

* * *

Third Sister stood on the bridge of the Star Destroyer Relentless, having commandeered it from Admiral Konstantine who now reported to her. The Imperial officer was furious but his response was predictable. Most officers were whenever Third Sister arrived, giving out orders with an official letter stating that all Imperial military officials must obey her commands as if they from the Emperor themselves. That was how much authority was granted to the Inquisitors with only a few officials such as Moffs and Grand Admirals having superior authority over them.

Third Sister was going over a list of reports with Admiral Konstantine and Agent Kallus before she was approached by Lieutenant Yogar Lyste.

"Sir we've received a binary transmission from an old clone unit on Seelos. Something about a Jedi," reported Lyste.

"That system is remote," commented Kallus.

"Haven't all the clones been decommissioned?" sighed an annoyed Konstantine.

"Yes and while the clones number checks out, he's had a record of calls of delusional distress," answered Lyste.

"I wouldn't take him too seriously," Konstantine replied.

"What's the clone's name?" asked Third Sister.

"CC-3636," Lyste spoke.

"His name not his number," Third Sister scoffed. The officers exchanged looks but kept their thoughts to themselves.

"He called himself Commander Wolfe," answered Lyste.

"Wolfe. He was Master Plo Koon's favorite commander during the Clone Wars," Third Sister thought out loud.

"So?" frowned Konstantine.

"Plo Koon was also quite close with Ahsoka Tano," replied Third Sister. It was a lead but she couldn't just jump an entire Star Destroyer on a simple hunch. She would look like a fool if it turned out to be nothing. Still Third Sister was confident this was a thread that could lead her to the Togruta Jedi.

The Inquisitor turned to Lyste. "Send a probe droid to investigate," she ordered.

* * *

Ezra had a million questions running through his head the instant he realized that Sister and Rex knew each other. The others might have had them too but Sister refused to answer anything regarding the clones. Ezra knew she had a one on one conversation with Rex inside the tank. Later Sister emerged and has exiled herself to the top of the Phantom which was now parked on the AT-TE. It was obvious something was bothering her. She was quiet and staring off into the distance.

Ezra, however, knew better then to think he was going to get any answers from her. Captain Rex, however, might be a different story. Ezra approached the clone who was operating the crane controls. Zeb was helping the clones hunt something called joopas which for some reason involved him being attached to the crane via an magnetic line.

"So how do you know Second Sister?" Ezra asked.

"I don't know how she got the name Second Sister but during the Clone Wars, her name was Varra Kayne," replied Rex.

"Yeah you might want to avoid calling her that, she really doesn't like it," shrugged Ezra.

"Then I'll call what she was. Commander," chuckled Rex. "She was as brave as any soldier I have the honor of serving with."

"Ahsoka told me a few things about her. I know her master betrayed her during the Clone Wars and that she killed him which is why the Jedi Council imprisoned her," stated Ezra.

"Pong Krell betrayed all of us and he would have remained a dangerous threat to the entire Republic had he been allowed to survive. What the Commander did was necessary, regardless of whatever the Jedi Council thought," commented Rex.

Ezra noticed an explosion of sand off in the distance.

"Alright full stop," ordered Rex.

It was when the tank came to a halt that Ezra started realizing something was off. Why did they need Zeb on a safety line? Was he in danger of falling into a sinkhole?

"Uhh…why exactly is Zeb hooked up to that thing?" asked Ezra.

"To make sure that worm doesn't swallow him up," answered Rex.

"Wait a minute…swallowed! He's the bait?!" yelled Ezra.

Rex frowned, "Didn't Gregor tell you about that?"

"No!" yelled Ezra. He rushed to the railing and yelled, "Zeb get out of there!"

The Lasat didn't have time to get away before the ground underneath him cracked and a pink tendril shot up and wrapped itself around him. He disappeared under the sand, his magnetic line tugging on the crane.

"We've got a big one!" cheered on Gregor like a lunatic.

The line was stretched as whatever was underground tried to get away. Whatever this thing was, it was big and it was also fast for something of its size.

"What just happened?!" demanded Second Sister who joined along with Kanan joined up with Ezra.

"No time. Commander you and Kanan take a few electric poles and hit the magnetic line swings around. It'll zap that oversized worm and force it up to the surface. Ezra you keep an eye on the regulator. The line could overheat and shut down. No line, no Zeb," ordered Rex.

Sister and Kanan exchanged irritated looks but the two did as they were told while Ezra kept an eye on the regulator. The line swung around close enough for Kanan and Sister to zap it. The whole tank shook in response. That joopa certainly wasn't happy and even less so when the two hit the line again.

"He's running! Hit that line and bring him up! Wolfe full stop! This is where we finish the battle!" shouted Rex. The regulator started vibrating with the magnetic line blinking in response, a sigh it was starting to weaken. The tank stopped but the joopa was so strong that was it was latterly dragging the AT-TE slowly across the sand. Second Sister couldn't reach the line so simply leap up onto the top of the tank and hit the magnetic line from where it emerged from the regulator.

"Here!" shouted Kanan. He tossed his electric pole up to Sister who caught it with her free hand then stabbed both of her poles into the line. The ground shook violently before a massive worm-like creature shot out of the ground. Its massive head opened up a mouth comprised of several mandibles and then released an ear piercing roar.

The tank fired a round directly into the creature's mouth, exploding out through the other side of its head. The joopa screamed in pain before it collapsed to the ground lifeless. Ezra and the others quickly rushed across the tank's balcony to get a closer look at the joopa's head. It didn't move but then the mandibles started moving. Zeb forced his way out of the mouth covered in green slime.

"What a smell," the Lasat grumbled.

"Way to go Zeb!" shouted Ezra who was just grateful his friend was alive.

"Wait a second, what's he going in there?" asked Sister who had no idea what was going on.

"Now that was impressive!" laughed Gregor who climbed down and rushed over to help Zeb.

"Impressive? You almost got my friend eaten!" snapped Kanan.

"I was in that thing's mouth!" screamed Zeb who shoved Gregor away from him.

Sister turned to Ezra. "Ok what's going on?" she demanded.

"Uhh…well turns out Zeb was the bait to catch that thing," Ezra said, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

Sister suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Ezra was almost stunned. He's never seen the former Inquisitor laugh like this before. Sister leaned on a railing, nearly in tears as she struggled to catch her breath from laughing so hard.

"That's not funny!" Zeb shouted up to her.

"This just made this entire trip worth it!" exclaimed Sister who continued laughing.

(The interaction with Rex might seem minor but it was actually the most important conversation with Second Sister yet. Everyone else was trying to convince her that she should fight for the rebellion out of revenge or to be a part of something that could help protect. Rex is the only one who was telling her that she could change who she was as a person. Also i felt the flashback perfectly summed up Third Sister's character. She slaughtered younglings indiscriminately while Second Sister only killed the one who fought back)


	24. Chapter 24

The sun began to set as Second Sister watched Gregor started carving up chunks out of the joopa for dinner. Rex insisted everyone stay for dinner and Zeb insisted, saying that thing tried to eat him so it was only fair he returned the favor. The massive worm would be able to feed the clones for almost an entire years or possibly more judging from its size. It felt so strange working with clones once again. It almost reminded Sister of another lifetime when she fought side by side with them. The problem was that Pong Krell was in those memories as well which made the present a vast improvement.

"What you do think it'll taste like?" Ezra asked.

"Chewy," remarked Sister.

"You almost made that sound like that's a good thing," groaned Ezra.

Sister shrugged. "I like food that tastes different," she quipped.

Rex exited the control room of the tank and joined the two. "I've assembled a list of potential base and clearance codes and a few protocols the Imperials still use. Should be of some use," he stated.

"Thanks Rex," replied Ezra.

"They're on our main computer. You'll need some data tapes," Rex added.

"No problem," remarked Ezra as he headed inside the tank.

"So where are you off to next Commander?" Rex asked.

"Nar Shaddaa. I hear it's nice this time of year," answered Sister.

"I hear it's the same all year round," commented Rex.

"Good. I hate snow," shrugged Sister.

"You've changed a lot since Umbara. You never used any wisecracks or jokes," chuckled Rex.

"Killing your kriffing traitorous teacher has that effect on you," Sister stated. The clone glanced over Sister's shoulder. She turned to see Kanan on the other side of the outer plank, staring off into the distance.

"You know I don't think he likes me or ever will," remarked Rex. "Can't say I blame him. The war left its scares on all of us."

Rex was silent for a moment before asking, "Ezra told me you've been with them for quite a while. Why are you leaving them now?"

"Sometimes that kid talks too much," grumbled Sister.

"Well he is young," pointed out Rex. "Why leave now?"

"Because they can't win. They can't beat the Empire," sighed Sister.

"Now that's a load of Bantha poodoo," Rex scoffed.

Sister glared at him. "Excuse me?" she hissed.

"You're been with this crew for months and even undertook a suicide mission to rescue three of them from a Star Destroyer," Rex pointed out.

"Ezra talks far too much," Sister grunted.

"The Commander I knew didn't back down from a fight. She was one of the first to volunteer to charge through the front lines," Rex continued.

"I'm not her!" snapped Sister.

"You still are, you're just angry. Angry at Krell, angry at the Jedi, angry at the Empire, and especially angry at yourself," Rex countered.

"And how could possibly know this Captain Yoda?" mocked Sister.

"Because I'm angry at all of them as well. I was betrayed by Krell same as you, I was betrayed by the Republic that I fought for then discarded me and my brothers as soon as we were no longer useful, I was betrayed by the Jedi who allowed the galaxy to devolve into what it became during the Clone Wars which allowed countless systems to side with Separatists. Making me and my brothers' job that much harder when it should have never gotten that bad to begin with. Mostly I felt like I betrayed myself. I thought I was fighting for freedom. Instead I helped to create an Empire that oppresses its own people," explained Rex.

Sister didn't get a chance to respond before Ezra burst out of the tank. "You betrayed us!" he shouted.

That caught everyone's attention including Kanan, Zeb, and Wolfe who joined with Sister and Rex.

"The clones warned the Empire we're here," accused Ezra, holding up a datapad.

"Kid you must be reading that wrong. We would never do that," frowned Rex.

"The binary transmission I found says otherwise. Not to mention the fact that your com had a record of Ahsoka trying to contact you multiple times. You just never responded," explained Ezra.

"What?" exclaimed Rex. He snatched the datapad from Ezra and quickly skimmed through it. "I never got any messages from Commander Tano."

"I knew it. I told you they can't be trusted," hissed Kanan. He had his hand on his lightsaber hanging on his belt and Sister touched her own weapon.

Rex continued reading the text then stopped. He turned to Wolfe and said, "What did you do?"

"I…" Wolfe stuttered, already a sigh of guilt. "…I contact the Empire. If they found out we were helping Jedi, they'd wipe us out."

Sister drew her lightsaber, igniting it, and then lunged at the treacherous clone. He would have been short of a head had Rex suddenly stepped in her way and grabbed Sister's arms to prevent her from killing his comrade.

"Commander wait!" Rex pleaded, struggling to hold her back.

"Let me go!" shouted Sister. An extra pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her back. Sister was livid to see it was Zeb and Kanan.

"Ezra get the Phantom prepped. We're leaving," Kanan ordered. The boy nodded and rushed off.

"I wanted to protect you guys," protested Wolfe. "Protect my squad."

"Let me go! He betrayed us! He needs to die!" Sister shouted.

"Calm down," groaned Kanan, struggling to hold her back even with the Lasat.

"The war is over. We are free men. We can't live under the fear of the Empire for the rest of our lives Wolfe. That's not freedom," argued Rex.

"You're…you're right. I'm sorry," sighed Wolfe.

"Kanan!" Ezra shouted. Everyone glanced up to see the Padawan ducking for cover as a probe droid flew out of the Phantom. It fired it's blasters as it tried to make a getaway. Ezra ignited his lightsaber and managed to block any blaster bolts that were aimed at the Phantom's engines. Kanan took off running after the probe with Second Sister right behind him, now free from Zeb's grasp. The probe dropped off the side of the tank and then took off across the desert. Kanan leaped off the tank, landing on the sand below and continued the chase but was losing ground.

Sister however had other ideas. She stretched out her hands and clenched both fists, reaching out with the Force. The probe suddenly froze in mid-air, held in place telekinetically. As Kanan got closer, he drew his blaster. A blaster bolt hit the droid, causing it to explode except it didn't come from Kanan.

Sister turned to see Rex standing beside her holding a blaster rifle, its muzzle smoking.

"Nice shot," Ezra commented, joining them.

Sister glanced at Rex but didn't nod or indicate any gratitude for what he did. As far as she was concerned, he simply cleaned up his own mess. She leaped over the railing and landed on the desert below. It wasn't long before she, Kanan, Rex, Zeb, and Ezra were standing beside the wreckage of what was left of the droid.

"How long do you think this thing was watching us?" asked Ezra.

"Long enough," grumbled Kanan. "How's the Phantom?"

"The engine's fine but the main control board is scrapped. We're not going anywhere until it's fixed. If Sabine were here, she'd probably be able to fix it in no time," complained Ezra.

"We could contact the fleet with Rex's tank and have Hera pick us up," suggested Zeb.

"Sounds good except for the fact that Empire's probably already on its way as we speak," pointed out Rex.

"Ezra you and me will start working on the Phantom and get it fixed as fast as we can. If the Empire gets here before Hera, we might need it to get out of here," Kanan said.

* * *

Second Sister paced back and forth in the tank's control room, watching the clones like a viper bat. Kanan and Ezra were in the Phantom trying to fix the shuttle as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, neither one of them was Sabine nor Chopper which meant that was going to take time. Until then, Sister and Zeb were going to keep an eye on the clones and make sure neither one of them try something else. Sure only Wolfe actually did something but that only proved it was best not to take chances. The clones weren't prisoners but that didn't stop the former Inquisitor and the Lasat from following them around.

"You know you don't have to watch our every move," Rex pointed out.

"Our damaged shuttle on your rooftop says otherwise," grunted Zeb.

"Look I know I was wrong…" Wolfe sighed.

"Shut up!" hissed Sister, still tempted to sever that clone's head. A beeping from one of the consoles caught her attention. "What's that?"

"Uhh…that would be the coms. We're receiving a transmission," Gregor answered.

"The Empire called back? They never call back," stuttered a surprised Wolfe.

"Just get rid of them Wolfe," Rex insisted.

Wolfe took a deep breath and answered the transmission. The others stood off to the sides to stay out of sight as one of the monitors displayed a picture of a familiar figure.

"Oh kriff," gulped Second Sister.

"Is that an Inquisitor?" Zeb whispered, recognizing the uniform and helmet. It looked remarkably similar to Second Sister's.

"Third Sister," nodded Second Sister. Of all the Inquisitors to have to deal with, it just had to be the most dangerous one.

"Commander Wolfe this is the Imperial Star Destroyer Relentless responding to your transmission," Third Sister spoke.

"Uhh yes that's me," Wolfe nodded. His acting was atrocious.

"Please transmit your coordinates so I can investigate the Jedi sightings you reported," requested Third Sister.

"Uhh…Jedi? No no there's no Jedi here. My old cybernetic eye must be acting up again," Wolfe quipped. Rex put his arm around the Commander like Wolfe was some harmless grandpa acting up again.

"Sorry for wasting your time," smiled Rex.

"I see. Well the Empire thanks you for your vigilance Commander Wolfe and you as well Captain Rex," Third Sister spoke before the transmission cut out. Rex's smile faded upon hearing his name. Second Sister had no idea how she knew the clone captain's identity but it was clear she knew they were lying and was coming for them.

"Wait a second. How did she know your name?" wondered Wolfe. "The Empire thinks you're dead."

"I don't know but we need to increase our speed. That transmission came from orbit which means that Star Destroyer will probably be launching multiple squadrons in search patterns of our last known position right now. It won't take them long to find us," Rex said urgently.

He turned to Second Sister and Zeb. "You all need to leave while you can. Take this," Rex said before handing Zeb a data disk.

"This contains a list of coordinates of every Republic base, Separatist installation, pirate hideout, and smuggler's den we know about in the Outer Rim. Plus a few Mandalorian bases that I'm sure even they forgot about," Rex explained.

"Thanks. We owe you one. Are you sure you won't come with us?" asked Zeb. "No offense but your tank won't be able to take on what's coming."

"Oh she's tougher then she looks and we'll be fine," chuckled Gregor.

Rex held out his hand to Sister who was a little surprised by the gesture. She was slow to respond but finally shook his hand. "Remember what I said. Good luck Commander," Rex said.

* * *

Third Sister smiled as she cut the transmission. She couldn't believe her luck when she saw Captain Rex standing with Commander Wolfe. It took her a second to recognize him via his uniform. It had specific scratches and dents that she remembered during her time in the Clone Wars. She knew they were lying to her and she also knew that they wouldn't believe anything she said so she simply let it slip what she knew and then ended on that taunt.

"Captain Rex? You knew that other clone?" frowned Admiral Konstantine.

"He's not just any clone. There was no Republic soldier closer to Ahsoka then him. This just keeps getting better and better," smiled Third Sister before initiating a broadband transmission to speak with every Imperial pilot scouring the planet.

"All units you have new orders. Cripple their tank but do not destroy it. I want the Jedi and the clones taken alive. Do not shoot to kill," ordered Third Sister. A series of acknowledgements came in from every Imperial unit that had been deployed to the planet below.

"Inquisitor I believe Lord Vader ordered all Jedi aside from the Togruta be killed," Konstantine reminded her.

Third Sister considered decapitating the officer or strangling via the Force for his insubordination. Instead she calmly replied, "Even if Ahsoka isn't there and the Jedi and clones don't know where she is, they can still be used as bait. She would never allow her friends to die."

* * *

Ezra yelped, getting zapped yet again. Fixing the shuttle was proving hazardous to his health with all the short circuits. He was really missing Sabine and even somewhat missing Chopper right now. He wasn't an engineer but Sabine did teach a lot about repairs. It was considered mandatory about an incident involving Hera and Sabine getting stuck on an asteroid with hungry monsters and the Phantom unable to lift off thanks to Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper not properly repairing the shuttle.

Kanan had contacted Hera and the Ghost was on its way but there was no telling how soon the Empire would get here so they needed to get off the ground ASAP.

"I think I've almost got it," Ezra reported, closing up the circuit board. "Helm control is almost back up and running but the controls for weapons and coms are still down."

"We'll just have to make do. We need to get out of here before…" Kanan replied.

He didn't get chance to finish before Second Sister and Zeb rushed inside the shuttle. "The Empire's here," Sister said.

"We need to leave right now," Zeb agreed.

"Uhh…that's going to be a problem," gulped Ezra. He just reactivated the sensors and it detected a ship heading their way. He glanced through the view screen to see a Tie Fighter coming into view over the horizon.

"Everyone out of the shuttle!" ordered Kanan.

"Are you crazy? We need to leave now!" hissed Sister.

"The Phantom still can't fly and even if it did, it's in no condition for a fight. We need to defend the shuttle and the tank," Kanan explained.

Ezra grabbed his lightsaber and rushed outside with the others. The Tie came streaking closer, firing its dual cannons. Kanan quickly leaped onto a catwalk overlooking one of the AT-TE's legs and deflected a bolt of energy away from it, nearly losing his balance in the process. Blocking a Tie Fighter's shots was a lot harder than deflecting a simple blaster rifle.

"They're targeting the tank's legs!" Kanan shouted.

"If they managed to cripple them or the Phantom, we're sitting mynocks," gulped Ezra.

The fighter made another pass, this time targeting the shuttle. Second Sister leaped onto the top of the Phantom and activated the spin function of her lightsaber. She managed to deflect three shots away, nearly getting knocked off her feet by the sheer force of the blaster bolts. The tank started swerving, moving in a zig-zag pattern to avoid getting hit. Guess the clones knew what was going on.

Zeb was firing away as the Tie with his bo-staff but the fighter moved too fast to hit and was quickly out of range. Second Sister was covering the shuttle so Ezra decided to help Kanan cover the legs. He wasn't sure if he could actually block a Tie Fighter cannon but it was better than sitting around getting shot at. Rex and Gregor climbed onto the roof of the tank with the captain carrying a missile launcher.

"Wouldn't now be a good time to use the big gun?" Ezra pointed out to the clone.

"Wouldn't do us any good. That fighter is moving too fast. We'd never hit it," Rex shook his head.

"Wouldn't do us any good huh? Kinda like you guys," hissed Kanan.

"Gregor show 'em how the 501st and the 212 handled things," Rex chuckled. Gregor smiled and took the launcher from him. The Tie was coming around for another pass, this time targeting the shuttle again. Second Sister managed to hold her ground, deflecting the shots while also keeping her balance. Gregor waited until the Tie passed overhead then fired a missile from his launcher. The fighter didn't get very far before Gregor's missile closed in and blew it into pieces in a massive explosion.

Gregor held up his head as if showing off. "This old Commando still got it," he bragged.

"I'm starting to like these guys," chuckled Zeb.

"You know we'd make a good team if we all fought together," Ezra hinted to Rex.

"Very subtle kid," Sister muttered.

Rex didn't get a chance to reply before Kanan said, "Yeah tried that once. Didn't work out so well."

The Jedi then pointed towards the rear of the Tank, specifically to a sandstorm off in the distance. "That storm is getting closer. Anymore and it'll ground us. We need the Phantom to fly now."

"Then you better work fast," warned Rex. "Because that storm is our next destination."

"You actually want to ride through that?" asked Zeb in disbelief.

"Want no but we don't have a choice. That fighter no doubt reported our position which means more Imperials will be on their way. We need the storm to mask us as we get some distance from here," explained Rex.

"Is the shuttle at least flight capable?" asked an irritated Sister.

"Primary engines are but the maneuvering thrusters aren't. If we get into a battle, we won't be able to make any sharp turns or evasive maneuvers," answered Ezra.

Kanan sighed, "Then we have no choice. We need to wait until Hera arrives to pick us up."

The Jedi turned to Rex and said, "Take us into the storm Captain."

* * *

"We have their location but the clones have moved their tank into a sandstorm. We've lost them," reported Kallus.

"No we haven't," stated Third Sister. "Admiral prepare a task force comprised of three Imperial Walkers each with a contingent of Stormtroopers. I will lead them myself."

"But how will you find them Inquisitor? They're completely invisible to our sensors," frowned Konstantine.

"Because I have something better then sensors," replied Third Sister, heading towards the exit.

* * *

" _We can't leave them alone for one mission without them getting themselves into trouble,"_ Sabine joked on the com.

"Yeah well get that turret warmed up. In his last transmission, Kanan said the Empire's already here and that they're about to hide in a sandstorm," Hera informed her Mandalorian companion.

" _How are we going to find them then?"_ protested Sabine.

"One thing at a time. First we'll need to worry about the Star Destroyer in orbit. I'll drop us out of hyperspace on the other side of the planet. That'll block them from scanning us but it'll take time for us to get to the others from that distance. Knowing Imperial protocols, they'll have Ties patrolling a search zone for them and the moment we get close enough, they'll detect us so keep those trigger fingers of yours ready. We're gonna have a fight on our hands," replied Hera.

* * *

"So what was it like to fight in the Clone Wars?" Ezra asked Rex. Everybody was inside the tank's control room waiting to pass through the storm so the Padawan felt like talking to pass the time. Kanan kept his distance from the clones while Zeb was starting to warm up to them particularly Gregor. Sister, however, was skulking in the corner alone.

"I don't think the fighting ever got to Lothal but war was never dull. The general I fought with was amongst the greatest of the Jedi. I trusted him with my life more times than I can count and I tried to keep that trust," explained Rex.

"So…was Varra always so…grouchy?" whispered Ezra, not wanting to risk his life by asking that too loud.

Rex chuckled. "She had her moments of frustration but the Commander was always one of the first people to volunteer for any risky mission. She placed our lives before her own and had General Krell not been a traitor, she would have been a great Jedi," he whispered back.

"Yeah but…she probably wouldn't be alive right now if she had been," realized Ezra.

"Wait do you sense that?" Second Sister spoke.

"Sense what?" frowned Zeb.

"Not you Dead Weight. Kanan, Ezra can you sense something?" Sister said urgently.

Ezra stretched out with his feelings and felt a dark cold presence that seemed to be getting closer. "Yeah I do."

"Same here. What is it?" asked Kanan.

"It's Third Sister. She's on the planet's surface and she's hunting us," Sister said with no doubt in her voice.

"Just once could we go on a mission without running into a red lightsaber-wielding menace," grumbled Zeb.

Second Sister then lowered to her knees. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Rex.

"Third Sister is using the Force to find us. I need to mask our presence in the Force but it'll take my full concentration to do so," explained Sister.

"You can do that?" asked a stunned Kanan.

"One of my many tricks now leave me alone and let me focus," ordered Sister.

* * *

Agent Kallus watched as Third Sister guided the pilots through the sandstorm. He knew the Inquisitors utilized a strange sort of magic that the Jedi did but it still baffled him to see such power in action. The AT-AT's sensors were useless in their current circumstance but Third Sister kept uttering commands to increase speed, turn right, turn left, slow down. It was somewhat frustrating as there was no way to see where the clone's tank was in this storm. They could be almost right on top of them and not know it.

"You're masking yourself from me aren't you killer?" Third Sister said.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Kallus.

Third Sister ignored him. "Do your friends know that you're the reason I've been able to track them through this storm? Your presence betrays you and them. All Inquisitors can sense each other if we're close enough and I'm getting very close. You can mask yourself but only to a point," she mocked.

"All units thirty degrees left flanking turn!" Third Sister ordered.

* * *

Ezra could have sworn Second Sister's face scowled for a second then returned to a neutral expression, completely concentrating.

"If they're following protocol then the landing party will be comprised of several armored vehicles. Since they probably know we're in an AT-TE, they'll send those new larger four legged walkers against us," said Rex.

"Karabas. What do we do? We can't even see anything," hissed Zeb.

"We can't but a Jedi can. I never saw those four legged walkers in action but I did get a view of the schematics when they were still being designed. Their only structural weakness in in the neck but we may only get one shot at it," Rex spoke.

"If you're willing to trust me then I can get us that shot," Kanan replied.

"I always trust my general," smiled Rex. Ezra couldn't help but feel a little proud as the two were starting to get along. Not that his Master and the Captain were going to be buddies now but this was a start.

Kanan reached out his hand and closed his eyes, focusing. "Prepare to stop now," he ordered.

The tank came to a halt and everyone waited in silence. Soon Ezra could feel something, sudden bursts shaking in the floor as well as a distinct thug that accompanied them. They were footsteps and the only thing capable of causing something like that was an AT-AT. Rex called it right. The shaking got worse as Ezra realized the walkers were probably passing right by them.

* * *

"Pincer maneuver. I want them surrounded," ordered Third Sister.

"But sir we can't even see them," protested the pilot.

"Do as I command!" hissed the Inquisitor.

* * *

The shaking and the resulting thuds suddenly stopped. Ezra didn't know how but it was a safe guess the Imperials knew they were here. Maybe not their exact location though as they would have started firing by now.

"Commander Wolfe circle left double time," ordered Kanan. The tank shook from the sudden violent turn. "Full stop!"

The machine came to a halt. "If what I'm sensing is right, we're surrounded," Kanan reported.

"What?" shouted Ezra.

"You put us right in the middle of them to get us a shot. It's crazy but it's probably our best chance," said Rex.

"Best chance? If we start shooting, those Imps are going figure out where we are," protested Zeb.

"Don't worry chum," chuckled Gregor. "I'll take the shot."

"No Ezra should take the shot," replied Kanan. Had his master lost his mind?

"Uhh…why don't you do it?" suggested a nervous Ezra.

"Kanan's right. We need him guiding us out of this mess and the Commander needs to keep doing…whatever she's doing. That leaves only you kid," stated Rex.

"This is a bad idea," gulped Ezra.

"Those are always the best ones," chuckled Gregor.

Rex grabbed a clone helmet and tossed it to Ezra. "You're gonna need that outside. Hang on tight. Gregor you spot him," he said.

"This is crazy," Ezra repeated, holding onto Zeb as the two made their way across the gangway to the tank's cannon. The sandstorm was pounding them both and threatened to knock them off if they weren't careful.

"Oh just think of it as a nice walk in the park," Gregor suggested playfully, almost dragging the Padawan through the storm. Ezra could barely see the clone through his helmet let alone find the cannon but the Commander lived on this walking metal contraption. He probably knew it by heart.

The two arrived at the controls and Ezra took a seat. "Now don't miss little womp-rat," chuckled Gregor.

"I never miss," lied Ezra.

" _Ezra's there's a walker around .5,"_ Kanan's voice chime in from the com.

"Somewhere around .5? That's helpful," grumbled Ezra. He turned the turret towards the coordinates but he still couldn't see anything. The targeting scopes were useless in this storm.

" _It's there trust me and more importantly trust your instincts. You won't see it with your eyes but you can do this,"_ Kanan encouraged him. So all Ezra had to do was make a one in a million shot without being able to see it or able to use the Force as well as Kanan, Sister, or Ahsoka. Not to mention if he misses, they were be completely screwed. No pressure.

So Ezra closed his eyes and focused on the target. He pictured the walker in his mind, specifically the neck area. A gut feeling urged him to turn his targeting controls just slightly upwards and to the right. Ezra took that as a hint from the Force and did so. The next instinct was just simply to fire so he did. Ezra opened his eyes just in time to see a massive explosion nearby. He could just barely make out the shape of an AT-AT before it keeled over, falling to the ground.

"Got'em!" Ezra cheered.

"Wow now that's one for the manuals!" Gregor celebrated.

" _Wolfe there's your opening. Go for it!"_ ordered Kanan on the coms. The tank suddenly accelerated forward, trying to move as fast as possible. Blaster bolts rained down on the AT-TE from behind. The remaining walkers had found them.

* * *

"Focus fire on the energy burst. Target the ground, that'll hit their legs and cripple them," ordered Third Sister. The walker pilots increased speed, chasing after their target as well as returning fire.

* * *

The moment the AT-TE emerged from the sandstorm, Ezra knew they were in trouble. Once the Imperial walkers emerged as well, there would be nowhere to hide and they couldn't outrun them. Blaster fire had followed the tank all the way through the storm, meaning the Imperials were keeping up with them. Ezra had no delusions that the tank could also take on a single AT-AT, let alone more than one. They had only one choice and that was to leave via the Ghost.

Ezra and Gregor jumped over the landing pad where Rex, Kanan, Second Sister, and Zeb joined them.

"Great shot kid," Rex congratulated Ezra. "Now get out of here all of you. It's not going to take long before those walkers exit the storm. They'll have a clear shot at us and be able to summon Tie Fighters via the coms."

"But we can't leave now," protested Ezra.

"We have to get the information they gave us back to the rebellion," Kanan said in a tone that implied this wasn't up for debate. Zeb quickly rushed inside and took the pilot's seat, starting up the launch sequence.

"But the other part of the mission is to bring Rex back with us. We can't just abandon them," argued Ezra.

"You're not abandoning anyone. We're covering your escape now move!" urged Rex.

"C'mon kid. He's made his choice," Sister said as she stepped inside. Ezra felt like he was betraying the clones by doing this but he didn't see any other option. They needed to leave and the clones didn't want to come. He handed Rex back his trooper helmet the Padawan borrowed. The Captain quickly jumped into the gunner control as Ezra stepped onto the Phantom.

"We're soldiers Ezra. This is what we were born to do!" Rex called out before the shuttle's blast doors closed.

* * *

Third Sister waited impatiently as the walkers finally emerged from the storm. The view screen was completely clear, offering a clear view of the AT-TE. She couldn't believe such a thing was capable of holding itself together, let alone able to take down a walker with one shot. It must have been Second Sister, Ahsoka, or one of the other Jedi who did it. The Phantom was parked on top of a custom built landing pad on the tank's back. Third Sister was about to order its destruction when she saw it taking off.

"Admiral Konstantine. A shuttle just launched from the enemy tank. I want it disabled but take care not harm its occupants," Third Sister ordered into the com.

" _Understood Inquisitor. Be advised our patrols have detected a ship approaching your position. We believe it is the Ghost,"_ reported Konstantine.

"Split all fighters into two groups. Have one target the shuttle and the rest target the Ghost," commanded Third Sister. To her surprise, the AT-TE was turning around and heading straight towards her walker.

"They've gone mad," scoffed Kallus.

"No. They're distracting us from attacking the shuttle but our fighters will handle it. Disable that tank," ordered Third Sister.

"How many prisoners are you planning on taking?" frowned Kallus.

"As many as I need to until I get Ahsoka Tano," Third Sister answered.

* * *

"Kanan you know better than anyone. They won't give up. This fight is going to be their last," Ezra protested.

"At least they'll go down swinging kid," Zeb tried to console him.

"But what are we supposed to tell Ahsoka? Rex was her friend," Ezra pleaded. He turned to Sister and asked, "I thought he was your friend."

Second Sister didn't reply to that. He talks about Rex as if Sister and the clone knew each other for years fighting alongside each other. The truth was that she only knew Rex for less than a week then hadn't seen or heard from him in almost twenty years. If Rex wanted to go out in a blaze of glory then why shouldn't Sister just let him do it? She was heading to Nar Shaddaa and then would vanish, leaving all of this behind including Rex, the rebellion, the Ghost Crew, and Ezra.

Yet it begged the question what was she running to? Staying alive for the sake of being alive? Ahsoka pointed that out and in a way she was right. Yet that didn't mean she had to stay yet what was the real reason she had for the past few months? The truth was that it felt good to have people who Sister could finally count on. The Ghost Crew proved that by getting that medical droid from Artanis Station and nearly dying in the process.

Yet Sister couldn't help but think over the past few months how long it would take until they betrayed her. Everyone has her entire life. Her mother handed her over to the Jedi without even a fight, Krell betrayed her for his own ambitions, the Jedi imprisoned her for exposing their hypocrisy, and the Empire betrayed her for being too good at her job. Second Sister was growing paranoid the longer she stayed with them all. She never needed to trust the other Inquisitors but the Ghost crew trusted each other with their own lives. Not just because they believed in their mission but also in each other. They didn't take missions that would get them killed unless they had no choice. They placed their lives above almost anything else unless they were in the heat of the moment protecting innocent lives. They were everything the Jedi should have been and that was what truly infuriated Sister.

She didn't want to be a part of another Jedi order, she didn't want to be a part of the Sith, she didn't want to be a part of the Empire, and she didn't want to be a part of the rebellion. All Second Sister really wanted was a place to belong, something to fight for, and something to believe in. She didn't take pleasure in the terrible things she's done but she believed in the cause of the Empire. To be more accurate, she believed in Darth Vader but he betrayed her just like everyone else. How could she trust anyone after that and yet it all came down to a single truth. Second Sister actually could trust the Ghost Crew. She could trust them to assist her and not betray her. She may not like all of them…correction she didn't really like most of them but trust didn't require that.

However would Ezra and the others still feel the same way if they knew the truth about her?

* * *

 _They could run but they couldn't hide. The entire building was surrounded with Imperial troops with anti-personal walkers assisting them. The younglings had no chance to escape yet they didn't stop them from trying._

 _Second Sister had split up from the others to check a storage area. She reached out with her mind, letting the Force guide her instead of her senses. The little Jedi didn't know a thing about concealing themselves in the Force as such abilities required years of training and experience in meditation. Sister could feel someone, the presence echoing within the room. It was filled with metallic stacks filled with broken down parts and junk too worthless even for scavengers to scrounge up. Whoever was in here was probably using them for cover._

 _With a motion of her hands, Sister dropped all the stacks one by one telekinetically. A yelp caught her attention. Sister turned her head to see one of the stacks hadn't completely fallen to the floor. Something was stuck underneath it and trying to get out. Sister calmly strolled over to it to see the Jedi youngling Katooni on the floor, her legs trapped underneath a fallen stack._

 _Katooni ignited her lightsaber to cut herself free but the damage had been done. Her ankles were bleeding and she was in no condition to run, let alone fight. The Tholothian raised her weapon to defend herself but Second Sister easily swatted the youngling's lightsaber out of her hands. Sister then raised her free hand and summoned the Jedi's fallen lightsaber to her. Now armed with two weapons, the Inquisitor held the lightsabers in a scissor-like formation ready to sever through the youngling's head._

" _Stop…please," pleaded Katooni._

 _Second Sister hesitated. She was supposed to bring in any potential candidates but Katooni wasn't one of them. She showed no potential with her lightsaber and was too easily bested. If she was put through Inquisitor training, she wouldn't survive. She would die a painful death. Second Sister knew exactly what she would go through because she went through it herself. Darth Sidious had many candidates put through his sadistic trials to prove their worth and in the end, only three managed to survive them. The Grand Inquisitor, Second Sister, and Third Sister._

" _If I brought you in, the rest of your life would be nothing but suffering. If I knew what awaited me before I became what I am today, I would have considered what I'm about to do a mercy," Second Sister spoke. Katooni's eyes widened in terror._

* * *

 _Second Sister emerged from the storage area to find Third Sister had captured two younglings. Krona and Adonis had their arms shackled behind their backs, their heads lowered in fear of looking their captors in the face._

" _Sister managed to catch any little fish?" mocked Third Sister. She shoved Krona towards Second Sister. "Here you are, now you're not going back empty handed killer," Third Sister spoke._

 _Krona gave a quick glance at Second Sister, a small hint of anger in her eyes. Maybe there was hope for this one._

" _I think I'll keep this one. I doubt he'll last a week under my delicate care," laughed Third Sister as she grabbed Adonis by the arm._

* * *

Second Sister didn't deserve forgiveness for all the things she's done, not that she'd ask for it. She was a murderer with so much blood on her hands they were almost gushing red. If the Force actually had a will, it would want her to rot on some desolate world alone and forgotten. But there was also something Captain Rex said about how it doesn't matter where you've been but rather where you were going. Sister had no idea if the Ghost Crew would accept her if they knew her past but maybe they would if they knew she would help.

The Force didn't decide her actions. She didn't have to go to Nar Shaddaa or even stay with the rebels. She didn't have to choose the light side or dark side, Jedi or Sith. Second Sister was free to choice as she wished and right now she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

"Turn this ship around!" shouted Sister.

"Huh?" asked a confused Zeb.

"I said turn it around!" demanded Sister.

* * *

Third Sister couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The rusty old AT-TE was charging straight towards them. The machine looked like it was held together by nothing more than adhesive and prayer and yet the clones were actually attempting a forward assault on two AT-ATs. It was a suicidal charge but Third had to give the clones credit, they certainly weren't afraid.

"They've lost their minds," scoffed Agent Kallus.

"Open fire," commanded Third Sister.

The gunners unleashed a volley of energy bolts aimed at the old tank's legs. Incredibly the bucket of bolts was somehow persevering through the barrage. That was certainly proving what a marvel the AT-TE was of military engineering. However, it was still obsolete compared to the larger and more powerful AT-AT. The clones opened fire with their main cannon but their weapon did little more than shake Third's walker a little. They wouldn't be able to get a lucky shot like they did on the walker they destroyed earlier.

"Intensive forward firepower," ordered Kallus.

The AT-AT escalated their attack as the tank lumbered closer and closer. Third Sister couldn't but laugh again as she realized what they were doing. The tank disappeared from their view screen before the whole walker suddenly shook violently. They actually rammed into the AT-AT's legs.

"They are insane!" shouted Kallus, trying to keep his balance. The walker started to tilt up, signs that the clones were attempting to lift up the AT-AT's legs and topple them over. Points for creativity but hardly feasible.

"Stabilize us," ordered an amused Third Sister.

The walker pilot easily forced the walker back on its legs, pinning the AT-TE underneath. The clones were trapped and they were knew it. The tank's main cannon fired uselessly, unable to hit the AT-AT's neck. She could make out a clone exiting the cannon's control and shouting something. Probably a final insult as he knew he was finished.

"Open the drop doors. I'm going to have a word with our veterans," said Third Sister. The Inquisitor left the control room and entered the cargo room, climbing down to the lower level. Her destination was the staging platform designed for Imperial Stormtroopers to down a rope to the ground below. They were used during battle when speedy deployments were a necessity. The drop doors opened up on the platform, revealing the blinding sands sitting at the base of the walker's feet several hundred feet below.

Third Sister simply dropped down, landing on the sand with no injury from a fall that would have killed anyone would couldn't use the Force. She simply strolled over to the AT-TE and leaped onto the top where Captain Rex was waiting.

"So I guess the Empire isn't staffed with cowards after all," the clone commented. He drew his blaster pistol but with a motion of Third's hand, it went flying out of sight. To his credit, Rex didn't panic or show any fear but it was plain to see on his face that he knew this was it.

"Doesn't take courage to deal with a bunch of washed up test tube rejects," mocked Third Sister. She drew her lightsaber, igniting both ends.

"Now where is Ahsoka Tano?" Third demanded.

"Oh don't worry. I'm sure she'll find you and when she does, you won't be walking away," warned Rex.

"Speaking of walking, I want you alive but that doesn't mean your need your legs," chuckled Third Sister. She thrusted her free hand out and knocked Rex down with a telekinetic wave. The Inquisitor moved in to severe the clone's kneecaps when something changed in the Force. Third raised her lightsaber and deflected a blaster bolt.

Commander Wolfe and a clone Third wasn't familiar with emerged onto the tank's balcony and charged straight at her, firing their blaster rifles. It was a suicide run and Third felt obligated to oblige. She needed Rex alive, not these two. The Inquisitor activated her lightsaber's spin mode and then hurled it at them. They didn't have a chance to duck before the energy blades went through both of their chests and emerged from the other side without slowing down.

"NOOOOO!" yelled Rex as he watched his brothers dropped to the floor lifeless.

"I just hate interruptions, how's a surgeon to concentrate on her work?" mocked Third.

" _Inquisitor. The rebel ship…"_ Kallus reported.

"Is fleeing! What about them? Let Konstantine handle them," replied Third, getting annoyed by yet another interruption.

" _That's the problem. They're not running,"_ replied Kallus.

Third glanced up to see the Phantom coming at them like a mynock out of Sarlac pit. It's fired its twin cannons directly at the Inquisitor. Third leaped out of the way and off the tank before the blaster bolts impacted her position. She landed in the sand and glanced up to the shuttle making a pass at the second AT-AT, dropping several individuals with ignited lightsabers on top.

"Kallus open fire on the walker. They're about to take control of it! Konstantine where is my air support?!" Third shouted into her com.

* * *

Kanan and Ezra landed on the second walker. They quickly cut their way through the plating and kicked open a hole into the cockpit. Kanan dropped down first then severed the heads of both the pilot and gunner with a single swipe. He shoved the corpses of the way and took the gunner's seat. Taking control of the walker's weapons, he opened fire on the AT-AT stepping on the clones AT-TE.

"Ouch," Ezra commented upon seeing the bodies of the Imperials.

"Well I doubt asking them to move would have worked," shrugged Kanan. She unleashed a barrage of blaster fire into the enemy walker, tearing through its armor. The enemy walker attempt to turn and fire back but the AT-TE was blocking it's path. The old rust bucket's main cannon lifted up and to Sister's amazement, fire one last shot that hit the AT-AT in the neck. The large mechanical behemoth fell onto its side.

"Not bad for an old timer," quipped Kanan.

"Uhh…we've got a problem," gulped Ezra, pointing to the sensor screen. His fear was justified as it showed at least an entire squadron of Tie Fighters approaching.

Kanan activated his com. "Zeb we're going to need a real quick pick up."

" _They're closing in. I can't shake them!"_ shouted Zeb. The Ties moved to intercept the Ghost, ignoring everything else. Clever, the Imps were going to destroy their escape route and then they were screwed.

" _You won't have to,"_ replied a familiar Twi'lek captain's voice. Another ship appeared on sensors heading towards the Ties. To Sister's surprise as well as her companions, it was the Ghost. Two Ties were blasted to dust in seconds, forcing the rest to scatter.

" _Sorry we couldn't contact you before. We used the sandstorm for cover as we followed a squad of fighters. Figured they'd lead us to you,"_ explained Hera.

"Well I always did like surprises," quipped Kanan.

" _Zeb pick up the others. We'll keep these Imperials busy and don't take too long. Chopper's picking up a lot more Ties heading our way,"_ ordered Hera.

* * *

Second Sister waited as Zeb piloted the Phantom towards the AT-TE. He landed it on what was left of the old rust bucket as the former Inquisitor leaped off the shuttle. Rex emerged from the cannon's controls with a resigned look on his face. Sister understood why when she saw the corpses of Gregor and Wolfe.

"They died trying to save me," Rex sighed.

"And you need to live long enough to avenge them. C'mon!" urged Sister.

The clone's eyes suddenly widened. "Behind you!" he shouted.

Second Sister ignited her lightsaber and turned just in time to block an incoming blow from Third Sister. Her former comrade managed to almost get the drop on her, probably masking herself in the Force before attacking. Second Sister always knew that Mirialan had a few tricks up her sleeve.

The two former comrades locked blades, trying to force the other back. "It's been too long killer," Third mocked.

"You say that nickname like's an insult," shot back Second.

Third looked like she was about to continue their fight until she glanced over Second's shoulder. Second leaped backwards before the Phantom started fighting. Nice to know Zeb was good for more than just worm bait. Third Sister deflected a few shots before deciding now wasn't a good time to fight since she was outnumbered. The Mirialan leaped off the tank, disappearing over the side.

"C'mon let's go!" shouted Second. They couldn't stick around to hunt down her former comrade. Imperial reinforcements were on the way and they needed to leave immediately.

The Phantom turned around and opened its blast door. Rex and Sister quickly rushed inside before the door slammed shut behind them. Zeb had the shuttle take off before the two had managed to get a few steps inside.

* * *

A frustrated Third Sister watched as the Phantom picked up the rest of their crew from the stolen AT-AT then linking up their shuttle with the Ghost just as several squadrons of Tie Fighters arrived. She knew that deep down they would get away. They survived this fight but there will be more. In the meantime, Third didn't intend for this to be a total loss.

She entered the broken down AT-TE and entered the main control room. She checked the main computer and was quite pleased to see it was undamaged. Even if the clones attempted to erase any data within it, the Empire had special recovery software to finding deleted files. Third ripped open the machine and pulled out the main memory tapes. If there's any useful information in them, they will reveal their secrets.

" _Inquisitor. I regret to report that the rebels have escaped,"_ Konstantine's voice came through the com.

"Send a retrieval team to recover all survivors on the planet and have your best technicians ready. I have an assignment for them," ordered Third.

* * *

" _Alright we're clear. Entering hyperspace,"_ reported Hera as Second Sister, Ezra, Rex, Kanan, and Zeb exited the Phantom. They were free and clear with the Imperial pursuers left in the dust. Yet this victory seemed bittersweet to the clone captain.

"I'm sorry about Gregor and Wolfe," Ezra said.

"Me too. They weren't just good soldiers, they were family and I'm going to make the Empire pay for what happened to them," Rex spoke.

The clone turned to Kanan and said, "If you'll willing to have me then I'll join your rebellion."

"We'd be honored to have you," Kanan replied. His response caught everyone off guard considering his previous hostility to the clones. The group entered the main hallway and met up with Hera, Sabine, and Chopper.

"The Ghost took some damage but nothing we can't fix," reported Hera. "I'm glad you decided to join us Captain. We could really use your help."

"I guess this old soldier's still got a little fight left in him," smiled Rex.

Hera then turned to Sister. "Our next stop is Nar Shaddaa. We'll drop you while we refuel there then rendezvous back with the fleet," the Captain spoke.

Second Sister should have just said nothing but she couldn't. She knew what she wanted to do now and she wouldn't play the role of a broken down victim on the run anymore. She could make her own choices and she wanted to fight. More impotently, she wanted to stay.

"Actually I hear Nar Shaddaa is terrible this time of year. I hear it's snowing," Second Sister spoke. Only Rex seemed to understand that line.

"Ok," said a confused Hera. "Was there another planet you wanted to go to?"

"No," Sister answered. Rex smiled as he realized what she was doing but everyone else was confused.

"Does this mean you're staying?" asked a hopeful Ezra.

"If I leave, Vader and the Inquisitors will never stop hunting me. The only chance I have of beating them is with you people so yeah I guess I'm staying," answered Sister. Ezra suddenly lunged forward and embraced her, catching Second Sister off guard. What's worse was the rest of the crew was smiling, thinking it was cute. This was just embarrassing.

"Ok ok that's enough of that," the former inquisitor grumbled as she pulled the Jedi Padawan off her.

"Then it's official. Welcome to the Ghost Spectre 7," smiled Hera.

(Wow that was a long chapter but it was necessary as it needed to cover a lot of material. This was probably the most important chapter regarding Varra as she finally started to believe she might be able to be someone better. It's not to say that she's forgiven herself for what's she done and believe me, she's done plenty of bad things. I almost don't want to cover the flashbacks anymore as they'd just be more torture and murder. She also killed Katooni not out of sadistic pleasure but out of mercy in a twisted way. She believed the youngling wouldn't survive the trials of becoming an Inquisitor and would suffer terribly. Also the youngling Krona from the flashbacks is a familiar character hint hint that will be appearing next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and please review.)


	25. Chapter 25

(Ok I was originally intending to do Always Two There Are next but I felt this original episode arc should take place first. This chapter was originally shorter and I felt it ended too soon so I decided to extend it.)

"You knew!" accused Second Sister. She managed to track down Ahsoka Tano once the Ghost returned to the fleet after retrieving Rex. The Jedi was heading to the bridge onboard Commander Sato's new flagship which was just a Corellian CR-90 Corvette. It was a major step down compared to the old Phoenix Home which was a Pelta Class Frigate.

"Excuse me?" asked Ahsoka.

"That me and Rex knew each other and neglected to mention that. You were hoping what? That he'd talk me into joining the rebellion?" demanded Sister.

"Well you're here aren't you?" chuckled Ahsoka.

"There's no way you could have known what would have happened," Sister scoffed.

"You're right. I didn't know what would happen but I knew that you and Rex had some unfinished business. I just wanted to make sure it was settled before you left for good," explained Ahsoka.

"Oh don't act so innocent. You manipulated me," hissed Sister.

"I didn't make you do anything. You chose to go on that mission. Had I told you the truth, would you still have gone?" asked Ahsoka.

"Probably not," admitted Sister. At that point, she just wanted to get away from the rebellion. The last thing she wanted was to deal with anything involving her past. She hated anything involving Varra Kayne and finding Rex would have drudged up more of those memories.

"And why is that?" inquired Ahsoka. It was stupid question as the Togruta probably already knew the answer.

"Stop playing Yoda on me with this whole subtle 'trying to teach me' crap. I couldn't stand that ugly excuse for a Jawa even when I was a Padawan. If you think that I'm ever going to try and be a Jedi then you can spare yourself the trouble. As far as I'm concerned, the Jedi should have died out anyways even without the Empire. It just simply sped up the inevitable. Now stay away out of my business and my life you manipulative schutta!" snapped Sister.

Second Sister turned and stormed off. The gall of that Togruta. She claimed she wasn't a Jedi and yet she still acted like one of its Masters. Sister wasn't ever going to be a tool of the Sith or the Jedi. They stole enough from her.

She made her way back to the Ghost and headed to her closet that had been technically her room ever since she met the rebels on Lothal. To her surprise, Hera was waiting outside.

"Good you're back," the Twi'lek captain said.

"Whatever happened, I didn't do it," muttered Sister.

"What you didn't do is move your equipment out of the closet. A member of this crew sleeps in the crew quarters," remarked Hera.

"I'm fine where I'm at," protested Sister.

"We are undertaking more and more missions which means we'll need to take more supplies. We can't just leave them out in the middle of the hallway which means we'll need the closet back. The crew quarters are designed for two people in each room so you need to choose a roommate to bunk with," Hera stated.

"No thanks. I'll take the engine compartment," muttered Sister. She turned to leave, only for the Twi'lek to step right in front of her.

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear. As happy as we are to have an extra lightsaber around here, you haven't exactly been the most pleasant of company," Hera added.

"Is there a point to any of this?" sighed an annoyed Sister.

"Actually there is. If you want to be a member of this crew, you need to start acting like one. I can't have you at odds with most of the crew so if you can't patch things up with them, you're going to half to leave the ship," said Hera.

"Excuse me?!" shouted Sister. "You're the one who just said I was a part of this crew when we rescued Rex."

"The Ghost is more than just a crew, it's a family. I trust each and every one onboard this ship not just with my life but also with carrying out missions," explained Hera.

"I killed the Grand Inquisitor and I saved all of you from Vader back on Lothal!" snapped Sister.

"You did save us but after you fled and left Sabine to fend off Vader by herself," Hera reminded. "That's not going to fly on this ship anymore. Your usefulness isn't in question but your loyalty to this crew is. So you are going to have to prove to everyone onboard that not only you are worth having around but they can trust you. If not then you'll have to transfer to another rebel cell. You can start by choosing a room to share."

"You know what? I don't need a place on this ship and I certainly don't need any of you!" hissed Sister before kicking the closet door open and storming inside.

* * *

"So how did our Inquisitor friend take the news?" Kanan asked as he joined Hera on the bridge.

"She could have scarred off a pack of gundarks," commented Hera.

"Glad I was too busy teaching Ezra then," chuckled Kanan.

"Look you're right that we can't just accept her into the crew but I feel like we might be doing this the wrong way," sighed Hera.

"Do you want her to pull another stunt like she did on Lothal?" asked Kanan.

"No and the truth is we can't afford that to happen again especially being part of a larger rebellion now," agreed Hera.

"But as much as she frustrates us all, we'll probably need her especially with this Third Sister after us," Kanan reminded her.

"All the more reason to get this behind us now before we run into any other Inquisitors," said Hera.

" _Captain Syndulla this is Commander Sato,"_ the rebel commander's voice came over the intercom.

"Go ahead Commander," answered Hera.

" _We're picking up a distress signal nearby. It's an automated beacon for a cargo freighter requesting assistance,"_ replied Sato.

Hera brought up a display showing the beacon's position relative to the fleet. It was far enough away that this ship wouldn't be able to detect the rebels but it was still too close for comfort. The Phoenix fleet was in its current position because it was just empty space that was far from the major trade routes which should mean they wouldn't run into anyone. That begged the question what in the Force was this cargo ship doing out here?

"That ship's a little off course unless the pilots wanted to get lost," commented Kanan.

" _Whatever the reason they're out here, they require aide but we can't send one of our cruisers or fighters. The Empire can't know we're in this sector and if there are any survivors. ,"_ explained Sato.

"But the Ghost is a just a cargo ship that wouldn't attract any attention," Kanan surmised.

" _Preciously. We don't know the nature of their emergency so take your crew and investigate Captain. Render aide if possible,"_ ordered Sato.

"Understood Commander. Ghost out," replied Hera before cutting off the transmission. She then activated the com to speak with the entire crew of the Ghost.

"Alright everyone we've picked up a distress signal from a cargo freighter nearby. We don't know what's wrong so be prepared for anything."

* * *

Second Sister was finishing grabbing her stuff and about to leave when Hera's voice came over the com about answering a distress call. She didn't have time to exit the ship before it detached from Commander Sato's flagship and sped off so the crew could play hero. This seemed to be a recurring theme for the past few months. Just when she seems like she was going to get away from this, something happens and she ends up on yet another mission with the crew. The problem was Sister wasn't trying hard enough to actually leave. Well if Hera and the others wanted to be ungrateful then leaving was going to be incredibly easy now.

"Moving rooms?" Ezra asked as Sister entered the commons room and promptly sat down. He must have noticed she had all her equipment.

"Moving ships," hissed Sister.

"I thought you just said you wanted to be a part of this ship a few hours ago," Ezra frowned.

"Well why you tell that to that ungrateful Twi'lek? I saved your necks how many times now and I still need to earn my place?!" snapped Sister.

"Ok could you maybe calm down for a minute and explain what's going on?" asked Ezra.

"What's going on is I'm going to find some rebel cell that actually appreciates someone that saves their skins," Sister replied.

"Uhh…I think I should go see what's going on," Ezra said before quickly leaving the room, leaving Second Sister to brood in the room by herself and realize she was only proving Hera right by lashing out like she just did.

* * *

Ezra breathed a sigh of relief after getting away from Second Sister. He might consider her a friend but sometimes she had a wicked temper. The fact that she still used the dark side might explain some of that but the fact was that the former Inquisitor lost her temper far too easily. When she got mad, Ezra didn't want to be anywhere near her.

He entered to the bridge to find Hera at the helm with Kanan as the co-pilot. Zeb and Sabine were seated with Chopper hooked into the navi-computer.

"Alright we're approaching the ship," Hera spoke. Chopper activated a holographic picture of the freighter based on sensor readings. The ship was definitely Kuati judging from its design but it was a mess. Multiple scorch marks all over the hull.

"Looks like the ship was attacked," Zeb commented.

"Pirates?" asked Ezra.

"Probably. The question is what are they doing all the way out here," replied Sabine.

"I'm not picking up any other ships in the area. If they were attacked by pirates, they're long gone," said Kanan.

"I'm taking us in closer," said Hera. Ezra could make out the ship as they got closer. It might have actually been a descent before pirates decided to use it for target practice.

"No life signs or heat emissions. The engines are cold," reported Kanan, looking over sensor readings.

"We're too late then," sighed Zeb.

"Kanan take Chopper, Sabine, and Ezra and scout the freighter for any clues. Maybe the ship's computer can give us a better idea of what happened," Hera said.

Ezra followed the others out of the bridge and through the crew quarters. They arrived in the airlock hallway to find Second Sister waiting for them, leaning against the wall.

"Well look who it is. Haven't left yet?" mocked Zeb.

"Excuse me?" frowned Sister.

"We all heard you shouting at Hera. It's a small ship," Sabine scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"You people rushed off to play hero before I could," grumbled Sister. "Since I don't have anything better to do, might as well join the fun."

"Right well while we're onboard, you can help us search the ship and figure out who you're bunking with," Kanan said.

"I just said I'm not staying," hissed Sister.

"Keep telling yourself that," quipped Ezra.

* * *

The ship was cold with life support at barely minimum safe levels. Ezra didn't need an oxygen mask to enter it but felt he probably should have taken a jacket. The lights were out so Chopper led the way into the ship, shining his light to illuminate the way ahead. Ezra kept his right hand clenching his lightsaber on his belt. The team brought their weapons onboard despite their being no life signs but it was better to be safe than sorry. This ship gave Ezra the creeps. There was no sign of the crew but also no sign of a struggle. No blaster scorch marks on the walls, no blood, nothing.

"I don't like this," commented Ezra.

Chopper chipped in that, for once, he actually agreed with the Padawan.

"This ship's been salvaged," Sabine said. She started pointed to different areas of the room. "That circuit board's been removed, wall plating over there and there is gone…"

"There's no way scavengers attacked this ship and picked it clean from the moment the beacon was activated. This happened a while ago," surmised Kanan.

"Then why did the beacon just start going off now?" asked Zeb.

"And where's the crew?" asked Ezra.

"Sabine and I will check the bridge. Zeb, take Ezra and Sister and check the cargo hold," stated Kanan.

"For your information, I am not bunking with you," Zeb informed the latest member of the crew as they split off from Sabine and Kanan.

"Don't worry. I'm not sharing a room with someone who sheds fur on the floor like a wild kath hound," Sister shot back.

"I don't shed!" protested Zeb.

Ezra was starting to think maybe pairing these two up wasn't Kanan's best idea.

* * *

"You're seriously putting those two together?" Sabine asked as she and Kanan entered the bridge. It was small compared to the Ghost's control room with only three seats. The ship might be able to haul more Cargo then the Ghost but was designed to be run by a smaller crew.

"They have to learn to work together at some point. Besides Ezra's with them to make sure they stay on task," shrugged the Jedi.

"Somehow I don't think any amount of Jedi training is going to help him with that," remarked Sabine as she took a seat at a console.

"Well I figured I'd kill two mynocks with one stone. He's got to learn more patience and he's going to need it," said Kanan.

"More like you didn't want to have to put up with the two of them and decided to let Ezra handle it instead of you," Sabine joked.

Kanan threw her an annoyed look as she got to work. He then tapped his com. "Spectre 6 do you read?" he asked.

" _Yeah, the cargo's hold is empty. Still no sign of the crew,"_ Ezra reported.

"Alright sweep the rest of the ship. Once Sabine's downloaded the sensor and com logs, we'll get out of here. Spectre 1 out," replied Kanan before ending the transmission.

"Nothing. The memory banks for both the sensor and coms are completely blank. In fact the only thing probably still working properly on this ship is the beacon," Sabine said.

"Any idea who or what set it off?" asked Kanan.

"Let me see if I can access it. No…nothing. This doesn't make any sense," frowned Sabine.

"Yeah. Something feels wrong," agreed Kanan.

"Yeah well there's not much else I can…wait a minute. Kanan we've got a problem," gulped Sabine.

"What is it?" demanded Kanan.

"The beacon just changed frequencies the moment I accessed it. It's still broadcasting but on a different channel," reported Sabine.

"Any idea why?" asked Kanan.

"A signal to let someone else know that somebody's onboard this ship," said a worried Sabine.

"It's a trap," realized Kanan. He activated his com and yelled, "Everyone back to the Ghost! This ship is a trap!"

* * *

"Kanan what's going on in there?" demanded Hera who heard the Jedi's transmission.

" _This ship just sent out a signal the moment we tampered with the beacon,"_ replied Kanan in an urgent tone.

"Letting somebody know their bait just snared someone," realized Hera.

" _Yeah but who's they?"_ asked Sabine.

Hera got an answer as a ship suddenly appeared out of hyperspace. It was massive cylinder shaped vessel with a tall spire on the top of the ship and enough cannons to take on a Star Destroyer. It took Hera a moment to realize it was a Providence class destroyer. They were capital ships used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.

"We've got company!" shouted Hera.

Chopper started screaming in binary, alerting the Twi'lek that he was picking up multiple fighters heading their way.

* * *

"Who?" asked Ezra as he rushed through the Ghost's airlock along with the rest of the away team.

" _Don't know but they have a massive capital ship and multiple fighters. We need to leave now!"_ answered Hera.

"Detaching the ship now," reported Sabine as he hit the release on the docking clamps. Ezra's seen the procedure dozens of times so he knew something was wrong when the light was still green on the clamp controls. Sabine hit the release again but nothing happened.

"Something's wrong. The clamps are jammed," groaned Sabine.

"Ezra and I will detach it manually then," Kanan said. "Sabine, Zeb get to the cannons! Sister you take the Phantom gun controls!"

There was no argument, everyone quickly scrambled to their assignments as Ezra and Kanan started opening up the manual releases and pulling the levers. Only problem was the light was still green.

"I don't understand. Why can't we detach?" grumbled Ezra.

" _Kanan you're not going to believe this. The cargo freighter has magnetic clamps locked down on the Ghost,"_ reported Sabine who was probably in thedorsal turret by now.

" _How come we never saw them before?"_ demanded Hera.

" _They've must have been rigged to only activate once someone's docked,"_ guessed Sabine.

"Try shooting them off," ordered Kanan.

" _And don't hit the Ghost,"_ added Sister.

Ezra and Kanan quickly rushed to the bridge where Hera was preparing the hyperdrive to jump the moment they were detached. Ezra gasped at the sight of the massive ship in the view screen. Now wonder Hera sounded so frightened on the com.

"That…is a big ship," gulped Ezra.

"So far it hasn't done anything and those fighters are staying out of weapons range for now but they've got us surrounded," Hera briefed the others as they took their seats.

"We need to leave now," Kanan commented as he took the co-pilot's seat.

" _Just another few shots,"_ reported Sabine. Once she blasted them free, they were going to run like…

The Ghost suddenly shook violently as the massive ship got larger and larger in the view screen.

"Uhh…that thing is getting bigger," gulped Ezra.

"We're caught in a tractor beam," said a worried Hera.

"What do we do?" asked Ezra.

The ship shook again though this time far less violent. _"Alright I've destroyed the clamps. The other ship is away,"_ reported Sabine.

" _Too little too late Deathwatch,"_ grumbled Sister.

"All of you hold you fire for now," ordered Hera. She turned to Chopper and said, "We're running a 34 rescue. Wait until we're close to the hangar's edge otherwise they'll detect you."

The droid nodded and quick sped off out of the bridge.

"What is a 34?" asked Ezra.

"Right now we need to see if there's a weak point in the hangar bay. We may have to blast our way out of this," said Hera, avoiding the question. Ezra wasn't as confident as the Ghost was pulled closer and closer to the wide opening on the massive ship's side hull. He felt like a fish getting dragged by a massive tentacle monster on some ocean world.

The Ghost slowly passed through an environmental shield into the hangar bay and gently landed itself on the floor.

" _We need to start shooting,"_ protested Sister.

"Not until we can find…" Hera protested. Her words got caught in her throat as a dozen turbolaser cannons dropped from the ceiling and aimed their gun ports directly at the Ghost. Anyone of those could blast the ship into a scrap heap with only a few shots.

"Oh Karabas," gulped Hera.

"Now do we do?" asked Ezra.

"I'm picking up a transmission, audio only," reported Kanan.

"Let's hear it," nodded Hera.

" _Unidentified ship, by now you've realized you've walked into a trap. I have your ship dead to rights and can blast it into scrap with just a touch of a button. If you want to avoid that, you will exit your ship without any weapons. You'll move at least thirty meters away from your vessel and dropped to your knees and place your hands on top of your head. Any attempt to resist will…well you already know the answer to that,"_ a male voice spoke from the com.

" _We can't just surrender,"_ protested Sister.

" _By the way,"_ the male voice continued. _"There better at least be six of you exiting that ship because if there isn't, I will destroy it and then vent whoever did come out into space."_

" _Ah Karabas,"_ grumbled Sister. Things must be really bad if even she was saying that.

" _How does he know how many people are aboard?"_ asked a shocked Zeb.

"He must have had surveillance equipment onboard the freighter and assumed we'd leave at least one person behind on the bridge," surmised Hera.

"I know I must be sounding like a broken protocol droid but what do we do now?" asked Ezra.

"Kanan, Ezra, Sister, hide your lightsabers in the Ghost's smuggling compartment. If our new friends find them, they'll figure out who we are," Hera ordered. "After that you'll join the rest of us at the docking ramp. We're going to have to surrender."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" grimaced Sister. Ezra could understand his hesitation as he felt the exact same way. The whole crew of the Ghost minus Chopper was now out in the massive hangar bay, on their knees with their hands on their heads. They had no weapons and no chance of fighting back from the turbolasers pointed at them and the Ghost. The cannons weren't the only thing to worry about. Several fighters had entered hangar bay after the Ghost did and were now floating in the air, ready to fire. Then again, they didn't even need to get a shot off. Whoever's in control of this ship could simply shut off the environment shield and vent them all into the vacuum of space.

However the only thing that's happened so far was the Kuati freighter used at bait was pulled into the cargo bay via a tractor beam.

"Our host isn't giving us much choice," sighed Hera.

"What is taking them so long? Why are they just making us wait like this?" growled Zeb.

"Probably trying to intimidate us. Just keep to the cover story. We're just a crew of a friendly cargo ship who answered a distress signal while returning from a job," said Kanan.

"I hope that droid of yours knows what he's doing," grumbled Second Sister.

"Hey if anybody can get us of this mess, its Chopper," replied Sabine. The astromech exited the Ghost just before it entered hangar bay. Hopefully the droid found an airlock to sneak inside by now.

"And Commander Sato and Ahsoka will come looking for us if we don't report in soon so…" Ezra said, trying to find a silver lining.

The ship shook from a slight vibration and the black void of space outside the environmental shield was replaced with the oscillating blue mist of hyperspace. There's no way the Phoenix fleet would be find them now.

"…never mind," sighed a disappointed Ezra.

A door opened at the far end of the hangar. Dozens of humanoids marched inside. They were comprised of various species. Humans, Twi'leks, Fallen, Nikto, and Weequay just to name a few. They all looked rugged and they all looked about as friendly as a pack of gundarks. One in particular looked like he could rip the legs off a gundark with his bare hands. A massive Fallen at least seven feet tall and with muscles bigger then Ezra's head. All of them carried various blaster rifles and pistols but the large Fallen was carrying a massive Z-6 Rotary Blaster Cannon. Normally it took both hands to carry such a large weapon but he seemed to be easily holding it with just one arm.

"Pirates," hissed Zeb.

The Fallen motioned with his hand. Instantly, dozens of blaster rifles and pistols were aimed at the Ghost crew. Ezra maintained his calm, knowing if these guys really wanted to kill them they would have already done so. Two of the grunts broke off from the others and approached the rebels with binders on their wait belts. One by one, the rebels were padded down and had their hands shackled behind their backs. Ezra also noticed the perverts took extra time searching Hera, Sabine, and Second Sister. Thankfully the three women didn't try anything that would get them all killed though it took every ounce in his fiber not to try and intervene.

"Search the ship!" the large Fallen ordered. It seems he was the boss around here. Five pirates rushed towards the Ghost, disappearing up the ramp into the ship.

The Fallen then turned his attention to the Ghost crew. "Where's Narel?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry who?" asked a confused Hera.

"Don't play games with me. I know you're working for him!" the Fallen snapped. Great, a big guy with a short temper. Never a good combination.

"Look pal you must have us mistaken for someone else," Kanan tried to explain.

The Fallen aimed his large cannon at the Jedi. "Either you tell me where he is or I start killing you all one by one until someone does," he threatened.

The rebels had been in a lot of bad situations before but this just might be the worst. They were all disarmed, restrained, and had dozens of blasters ready to shoot the moment anyone tried something. Now either someone had to speak up and stall the large green hothead or bodies were going to drop.

"Xar!" a voice shouted. Everyone turned to see a human approaching with his own escort of pirates with him. He was rugged like the others with scares on his face and long wild brown hair that reminded Ezra of someone who got lost in a jungle for years. Whoever he was, the human wasn't the biggest thug in the room but he had an aurora of authority judging from everyone's reaction to him.

"How many times do I have to keep explaining to you not to shoot prisoners before you question them?" the human demanded.

"But it's so much fun," chuckled the Fallen or Xar as he had been called. The human glared at him then suddenly burst in laughter. The two fist-bumped like two friends who just told each other some joke.

"Ladies, gentleman…" the human spoke to the rebels before noticing Zeb. "…and whatever you are."

That got a snicker from the rest of the pirates. "You are now guests aboard the Scimitar. Since you've decided to join our merry band of honorable citizens, I believe introductions are in order. My name is Arden Thrain and I will be your captain for this flight. How long that will last has yet to be determined. In the meantime, I expect you to keep your arms and legs inside the ship at all times. My crew love having more options on what body parts they can remove from you should you get out of line," the human spoke as if some captain for a commercial shuttle.

That last joke got a laugh from the pirates.

"Allow me to go over the rules. Rule 1, my word is law. Rule 2, my word is gospel, Rule 3, my word is divine. Failure to recognize that will result in a punishment of my choosing. Rule 4, my XO here Xar Zorim has issues and may randomly decide to borrow a limb or two via scalpel. Don't worry, he always gives them back," Thrain chuckled. It was clear this just as much of a show for the pirates as it was for the rebels. Arden Thrain was showing off to his crew as well as threatening the Ghost crew.

"Now allow me to tell you a little story. There once was a schutta named Narel who drank our beer, ate our food, pretended to be one of us. Then that spineless son of a Hutt decided to sell us out to another friendly pirate band led by the biggest kriffer in the kriffing galaxy Grakus. My crew and I didn't take that very well. I mean if you're going to try and kill us, at least have the spine to stab us in the face. I mean at least Xar only tries to kill me once he gives me some advanced warning," explained Thrain.

That got a chuckle from Xar. These pirates had a very strange sense of humor.

"So we've been checking out those kriffers' hunting grounds and leaving little ships like that junk pile over there as bait to draw them out. Considering that you people are quite the distance from the nearest trade route, it begs the question why you people are out here in the first place? Considering how many marauders operate in this sector, you'd have to either very stupid to travel through it in a ship like yours or…you're scouts for somebody else," Thrain continued.

"Look we're just cargo haulers returning from a job," Hera spoke up, sticking to the cover story.

"From where?" scoffed Thrain.

"Takoba. We just delivered manufacturing parts from Chandel and were on our way to Gorse when we detected your distress signal. Please we don't want any trouble. Just take what you want and let us go," whimpered Hera, feigning fear. Ezra saw her enough times to know when she was faking it though deep down it probably wasn't a complete act. Ezra couldn't remember they were ever in a situation as bad as this.

"Oh we were already going to do that but thank you for your consent," chuckled Thrain. He walked back and forth in front of his prisoners, sizing them all up.

He stopped as Sabine, focusing on her armor. "That is some lovely armor. Mandalorian I believe. The only way you get them is either by taking it from a Mando's cold dead body or it's given to you," Thrain commented.

"I bought it at a junk shop on Manaan," Sabine spoke.

"Right," Thrain replied, clearly not believing her. He turned his attention to Zeb. "Ok you look like a Wookiee got into an argument with a washing machine that was loaded with purple dye."

"Do you always tell such stupid jokes?" grumbled Zeb. Hera and Kanan glared at him. The last thing they wanted was to get this guy mad then who knows what he'd do to them.

Thrain turned to his crew. "Do any of your kriffers know what that thing is?" he asked.

"Ugly that's what," replied Xar. The pirates burst into laughter.

"Ok that's one characteristic," Thrain spoke in complete dead-pan. "Any other ideas?"

"It stinks," a Nikto said. It was clear the pirates including the Captain were just having fun at this point.

"It's ugly and stinks. Now what species is ugly and stinks?" asked Thrain.

"Wait a second…that's a Lasat," a Twi'lek spoke.

Ezra could feel his stomach jumping into his throat. Zeb was the last known of his kind and had quite the bounty on his head. If the pirates were able to figure out who he was, they'd figure out who everyone else was.

"A what?" asked Xar.

"They rebelled against the Empire and were wiped out. I thought they were all dead," answered the Twi'lek.

"I guess I never got that memo," scoffed Zeb.

Thrain smiled, "So a Lasat and a Mandalorian. Quiet the odd traveling companions."

"I never said I was a Mandalorian," protested Sabine.

Thrain turned his attention to Second Sister. She glared back at him as he slowly circled around her, taking his time examining her. "And just who might you be?" he inquired.

"None of your business," growled Sister. That got some amused laughs from the other pirates.

"Is that one of your ex's," chuckled Xar.

"She certainly talks like one," Thrain laughed back. He looked at her longer as if trying to figure something out. "There's something about you but I can't figure out what it is," he muttered.

"You'll regret it if you do," Sister retorted.

"I like this one!" laughed Thrain.

A Weequay pirate emerged from the Ghost. "Anything?" Thrain asked.

"We've searched the ship and there's no one else onboard. We're conducting an inventory of their weapons and equipment now," reported the Weequay.

Thrain glanced at ship for a moment, contemplating something.

"So do we feed them to Tiny?" asked Xar. Ezra had a funny feeling Tiny wasn't a loth-cat.

"No. I want to know who they really are before we do anything else," answered Thrain, who was suddenly turning serious in tone.

"Look we told you we're just…" protested Kanan. Thrain drew a blaster pistol and fired a shot that bounced off the floor right next Kanan's right leg. Thankfully, Ezra's master took the hint and shut his mouth.

"I don't know if you're with Narel or not but you're certainly not a bunch of interstellar mailmen," Thrain said.

"Let me take a laser scalpel to their fingers. That'll loosen their lips," suggested Xar.

"No torture. For now just lock them up," ordered Thrain.

"On your feet you rank weeds!" Xar shouted at the Ghost crew. The pirates approached the rebels and forced them to their feet. Ezra found himself accosted and shoved towards the exit of the hangar. He wasn't sure what these thugs were planning to do with them but he had a feeling the crew were going to need Chopper to rescue them very soon.

(For anyone wondering why Sister suddenly seems so hostile with Sabine and Zeb is because they haven't got over their issues with each other. They may have smiled when Sister wanted to join in the last chapter but that was mostly because they thought Ezra hugging her was funny.)


	26. Chapter 26

(For those of you unaware, the previous chapter was extended in case you missed the earlier update notice.)

"Seriously couldn't you put me with anyone else?" protested Second Sister as the cell door closed. It was magnetically sealed, meaning there was no way Sister could open it herself or her cell mate couldn't either.

"Believe me I'm not thrilled about this either. I'd rather share a cell with Chopper," grumbled Zeb. The pirates just had to put her with the Lasat, the one person in the crew who annoyed her beyond belief. The two of them still had hands shackled behind their backs as did the rest of the rebels, orders from Captain Thrain. He wasn't taking any chances with them. Of all the pirates in the Outer Rim they had run into, why'd they had to run into a smart one?

"Well that droid would be more useful then you right now," hissed Sister. She sat down on the floor and lifted up her legs, maneuvering her arms underneath them to get her hands in front of her. She couldn't unlock the restrains herself as the cuffs were magnetically locked together. Cheap but incredibly difficult to break free from unless you had the strength of a rancor. Zeb did the same, albeit with more difficulty. Sister couldn't help but give the Lasat a mocking smile the whole time.

"Says the person who uses the Force. Why don't you use your little hocus pocus and get us out of this?" Zeb said.

"Oh is that what the Force is to you? A fix it all deus ex machina? That's not how it works!" growled Sister.

"You know I'm starting to think you and your former associates are incredibly overrated. How powerful can you be if you can't even break out of some restraints?" mocked Zeb.

"Why don't I use my talents to smash your head into my shackles like a hammer? It's not like you use it for anything useful," grumbled Sister.

"I'd love for you to try but now is not the time for this," Zeb spoke.

"For once we actually agree Dead Weight. We don't have time to just sit around. It's not going to take these pirates very long to figure out who we are and when they do, they'll sell us to the Empire for a big payday. So the moment that cell door opens we take down everybody in our way, free the others, and get off this ship," replied Sister.

"Easier said than done. I counted at least fifteen goons who escorted us here and more than twenty people we passed in the halls. They probably have a lot more and all of them are armed to the teeth. So do us all a favor and do nothing until Chopper shows up otherwise you're going to get us all killed," hissed Zeb.

"I hope you have a better plan then hoping that psychotic trash compactor on wheels doesn't screw up because I am not putting up with you as a cellmate. Not only do you shed but also stink!" snapped Sister.

"Why you little…!" shouted Zeb.

* * *

"I think I can hear Zeb and Second Sister," said Ezra. He was locked with Kanan who was currently meditating. Ezra envied how calm and collected his master was given the situation. Captain Thrain had the Ghost crew separated with two in each cell and ordered their restraints kept on. The cell reminded Ezra of one on an Imperial cruiser except this one didn't even have a bunk, just a thin bench for people to sit on.

"They're arguing again aren't they?" guessed Kanan, his eyes closed.

"Yep," answered Ezra. "Zeb just called her a witch…or least I hope that's what he called her."

"Let's just hope they don't kill each other before we get a chance to escape," sighed Kanan.

"Which better be sooner rather than later. All they have to do is find one mention of Lasat on the HoloNet and they'll figure out who Zeb is as well as the rest of us," grumbled Ezra.

"Calm down Ezra. We're more useful alive then dead to them which buys us some time to get out of this. What I want to know is how did a bunch of pirates managed to get their hands on a Providence Class dreadnaught. The Separatists used them during the Clone Wars. A ship like this required a lot of maintenance crew, support personal, and supplies," said Kanan.

"Maybe they salvaged it," suggested Ezra.

"Salvagers strip ships as big as this one bare, not fix them up," commented Kanan.

"Well I did notice a lot of droids on our way here," remarked Ezra.

"Yeah but they were all maintenance droids. I didn't see a single battle droid and even if they did have an entire army of those clankers, it still doesn't explain how they keep this ship running. Ships this large required a lot of fuel which is expensive. That's why only the Republic or the Separatists could afford them," replied Kanan.

"They probably steal it," mumbled Ezra. Judging from Kanan's face, he didn't seem convinced but as far as Ezra was concerned it was irrelevant. Right now they needed to focus on getting out of this.

"Ezra sit down and find your center. You need to be focused for what comes next," Kanan suggested.

* * *

Arden Thrain was sometimes known for his obsessions. Once he started looking for something, it was often difficult for him to stop. That was sometimes a problem with his crew as they would find themselves on wild bantha chases. But sometimes his stubbornness bore unexpected fruit. When the Scimitar plundered trade routes in the Corporate Sector, the corporations started adding escorts but most importantly hiding their most valuable cargo on scout ships. It was rather clever as any regular pirate would ignore them or go right for the cargo transports. But Thrain noticed how quickly some of them fled conflict the moment it started so one battle he had the crew focus on them instead. It didn't go over so well until they opened up one of the ships they captured. After that, no one doubted his strategy.

Thrain felt the same about these 'cargo haulers'. He had a gut instinct they were more then what they seemed and he wasn't going to let up until he figured it out. After the crew did a preliminary sweep of the ship, Thrain brought in his Chief Engineer to look over the captured Corellian cargo ship. Jaybo Hood was only twenty-five years of age and yet he could run virtually the entire ship by himself. With his incredible talents, he maintained the numerous service droids who kept the ship operating at a hundred percent. This allowed the rest of the crew to only need the most basic mundane skills necessary to be a pirate such as smoking death sticks, rolling dice, and consuming large amounts of alcoholic beverages without passing out.

"Anything?" Thrain asked as he entered the cargo ship's bridge.

"The navi-computer verifies their story. They made a stop at Takoba and were on their way to Gorse," reported Jaybo.

"Funny thing about stories is that they're all works of fiction," remarked Thrain.

"Their fuel computer is another matter, the records were completely wiped. If you ask me, they're smugglers," agreed Jaybo.

"Smuggling what though?" wondered Thrain. He still wasn't entirely certain they were smugglers.

"I have some droids running advanced sensor sweeps of the ship. Give me a little more time and I'll find any hidden compartments onboard," said Jaybo. The engineer was certainly one of Thrain's most loyal crew members. The young man had been captured by another pirate crew and was used as a slave to fix their ship. Then the pirates decided to muscle in on Thrain's territory and paid the price for it. Jaybo sabotaged the ship before Thrain attacked so after the crew was dealt with, Thrain offered to have the engineer work for him. Jaybo agreed though he was a little rough around the edges. He wasn't the bloodthirsty type but he's never disobeyed an order.

" _Captain,"_ Kintara's voice emanated from Thrain's wrist com. She was the ship's quartermaster which meant she was responsibility for helm and navigation. Also she was in command of the bridge should Thrain or Xar be absent.

Thrain tapped the reply button and asked, "What is it?"

" _We're receiving a transmission from Sulla,"_ Kintara answered, the disgust in her tone obvious. Just hearing that name made Thrain want to vomit.

"Transfer the signal to my quarters. I'll be there shortly," the pirate captain replied.

* * *

"Chopper better hurry up. Things tend not to end well for prisoners of pirates, especially women," sighed Sabine as she glanced around her cell. She's heard plenty of horror stories of how merciless pirates could be. Depending on who they were, they'd sell you to slavers, feed you to a Sarlac pit, execute you on the spot, or if you were useful they'd might forcibly recruit you to their crew. Somehow Sabine doubted they'd try the latter.

"He'll come through for us. He always does," remarked Hera. Both of them had managed to get their shackled hands in front of them.

"And if he doesn't? Not that I'm doubting him but I prefer to have a backup plan," suggested Sabine.

"When I figure one out, you'll be the first to know," replied Hera.

"Yeah well I might be able to help with that. If those perverts focused more on actually searching me properly, they would have found this," said Sabine who pulled a small thin metal clip from her knee brace. She used it to pick the locks on her restraints and free herself.

"Not bad," Hera smiled as the Mandalorian did the same for her friend's restraints.

"Pays to be prepared," smirked Sabine. "So we wait by the door until someone opens it and take them down?"

"That's not much of a plan," commented Hera.

"Well until Chopper shows up, it's the only one we've got," admitted Sabine.

* * *

Thrain entered his personal cabin so he could have privacy. He never enjoyed speaking to Sulla especially in front of his crew. It wouldn't go over well to see the Captain getting lectured by someone who stood against everything they stood for. Pirates were for freedom from government rules and personal liberty to do as they wish. Sulla was the exact opposite. However the man was a necessary evil and needed to be placated.

Thrain walked over to his work desk and activated the holographic communicator, taking a seat as he did. The face of Moff Kyrus Sulla appeared with the same arrogant sneer he always had. Thrain swore that look was permeantly etched on his face. The man was a powerful Imperial governor of the Outer Rim and answered directly only to Grand Moff Tarkin. That made him a dangerous man to cross, even for someone like Thrain.

"I don't take well to waiting pirate," Sulla spoke.

"I hear it's a virtue then again I hear virtue is a criminal offense in the Empire," chuckled Thrain.

"I don't need a lecture either. Intelligence has reported you've been moonlighting in the Queli Sector," replied Sulla.

"I'm just visiting an old friend. We'll have drinks, reminisce about old times, and then I'll make a trophy out of his skull," explained Thrain.

"That sector is irrelevant!" shouted Sulla. "This arraignment is very simple pirate. You take down your rivals in areas affecting my shipping lanes as well as not attacking Imperial ships and I appropriate fuel for your vessel. Without me, that glutinous and outdated ship would be nothing more than an oversized paper weight. The Queli Sector has no major shipping lanes in it!"

"That's why he's is in this sector. You don't put a pirate base in a sector with a lot of traffic. You put it somewhere far off the beaten path," Thrain said, trying to keep his frustration in check.

"These pirates better have been raiding my shipping lanes because you're usefulness has been lacking as of late. Tarkin's been pressuring every Moff under his command to step up their efforts in dealing with rebels and dissidents so I have new orders for you. I want you to capture pirates alive so that I can publicly execute them. Also they better be high profile captains or I might reconsider our deal," ordered Sulla.

"Taking prisoners in the heat of battle isn't as easy as you pencil pushers think! Especially important ones like a captain!" snapped Thrain.

"Watch your tone pirate. Those are the terms. Deal with them or I'll deal with you. No matter how powerful you think that ship of yours is, it's still no match for a Star Destroyer. Remember that," warned Sulla. His image faded as the Moff cut the transmission.

Thrain stood up and grabbed the chair he was sitting on, throwing into the nearest wall. That ungrateful kriffing Imperial just changed the deal and there was nothing the captain could do about it. If it wasn't for Thrain and his crew, Sulla wouldn't be able to brag about how safe his shipping lanes were. Thrain knew what was going on here. The Moff was going to start squeezing more and more until it wasn't possible to keep up with his demands. At that point, he'd sent ships to hunt the Scimitar down. Sulla was going to cut ties with Thrain and his crew. It was just a question of how much more he could milk the pirates before doing so.

* * *

Hera and Sabine sat on the floor, backs pressed against the walls beside the cell door. Neither of them had any clue when someone was going to show up so they might as well get comfortable. The moment someone came inside, they'd be on top of them in a heartbeat. Sabine just hoped it wouldn't be that big XO. Guys that big tend to punch really hard. Actually she'd prefer the grunt that searched and restrained her earlier to step through that door. She had a score to settle with him for the way he patted her down.

"So if we get out of this, who do you think Second Sister will bunk with?" Sabine asked to pass the time.

"Well she can't with Zeb and Ezra. They already share a room together which means leaves you, me, and Kanan," remarked Hera.

"That doesn't sound like you're volunteering," Sabine joked.

"There's no volunteering. That makes it seem like she's a burden rather than an actual crewmember. She has to make the choice and get that individual to agree. This is about her actively trying to be a member of the crew," Hera explained.

"The problem Hera is that she's not one of us. She may hate the Empire but so do plenty of people all over the galaxy. That doesn't make all of them our friends," Sabine pointed out.

"She's rough around the edges…okay very rough but she's had plenty of chances to leave. Sister can complain all she wants but she is still here because she wants to be. Maybe it's more out of self-interest than anything else but Ahsoka and Ezra see potential for her to become better than that," replied Hera.

"Maybe they should bunk with her then," grumbled Sabine.

The cell door opened as a Weequay stepped inside carrying a food tray. "Okay ladies…" he started to say.

He didn't get a chance for finish. Hera hit him with a knee in his gut while Sabine hit a tornado kick in the back of his head. The pirate dropped to the floor unconscious, the food tray clattering onto the floor.

"Leandros? You alright?" a voice called out.

Sabine quickly grabbed a blaster on the unconscious pirate's body while Hera grabbed the fallen food tray. There was only one blaster so the Twi'lek allowed Sabine to take it as she was the better shot. The two of them came to this agreement without saying a single word. That was the benefit of working with someone long enough that you knew and trusted each other. Something Second Sister knew nothing about.

The two braced themselves against the walls on either side of the door as two grunts rushed inside. They didn't get a step inside before both getting a food tray and a blaster into each other's head. The grunts fell to the floor though one was still conscious. Sabine rectified that with a kick to the skull.

"Thanks for the weapons boys," chuckled Sabine. Hera grabbed the guards' remaining weapons and the two exited the cell. They didn't see any other guards but they did moved cautiously, going from cover to cover. The detention hallway was massive but there was a series of lights overhead of each cell that indicated which ones were occupied. The majority were red which probably meant empty while only two were green. Since Hera and Sabine were locked up together, that probably meant the others were locked up in pairs of twos.

"You check that one. I'll take this one," said Hera, clearly realizing the same thing.

The two split up with Sabine heading towards the nearest cell. She tapped a button on the control panel, opening the cell door. She stepped inside only to suddenly get thrown into the air in grip of some unseen force right into a wall. Sabine was held in place, unable to move as she released she was about to get attacked by Zeb. The Last had his shackled hands in front of him, ready to hit the Mandalorian when he quickly realized who he was attacking.

"Sabine?" asked a stunned Zeb. Standing behind him was Second Sister, holding up her shackled hands to use the Force to hold Sabine in place. She quickly lowered hands, releasing Sabine from her telekinetic grip.

"I see you came up with the same idea me and Hera did. We beat you to it," chuckled Sabine.

"How'd you get your hands free?" demanded Sister.

Sabine held up the metal clip she used to pick her restraints. "Not everyone needs the Force to get out of tough situations," she mocked.

An annoyed Sister twirled her finger and the metal clip went flying out of the Mandalorian's hands and right to the former Inquisitor. She unlocked her restraints and tossed it over to Zeb.

"I've had quite enough excitement for one day," Sister grumbled as she brushed right past Sabine.

"Your welcome," spat Sabine.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Another minute stuck in this cell with her and I would have lost my mind," sighed Zeb as he freed himself.

"I can only imagine…on second thought I'd rather not," Sabine quipped.

The two headed outside where Hera was exiting a cell with Kanan and Ezra. Zeb unlocked their restraints and Hera handed the Lasat a blaster.

"We've only got three blasters but the three of you have something better," Hera explained her reasons. While the Twi'lek, Sabine, and Lasat had the pirate's stolen weapons, Kanan, Ezra, and Sister could use the Force. They didn't need blasters.

"Where's Chopper?" asked Ezra.

"Don't know. Me and Hera managed to escape on our own," replied Sabine.

"That blasted rust bucket," grumbled Zeb.

"Right now we need to get back to the Ghost. I can only imagine what those vermin are doing to my ship," Hera hissed.

"Aren't we putting the bantha before the cart? We won't get very far with that tractor beam," Kanan pointed out.

"Then we'll sabotage one of the power distribution terminals. Ships as big as these need them to regulate the countless machines, computers, and systems onboard," suggested Sabine.

"You all can continue this talk while we're on the move," demanded Sister.

The group exited the detention block into a large corridor. "Does anybody have any idea where this power terminal would even be?" asked Zeb.

"Probably near a hub. You can find them on most ships this size by following…" Sabine explained as they rushed down the corridor.

They were suddenly stopped by the sight of three droids coming around a corner. They stood on three legs, had dual blaster cannons for hands, and looked like unwrapped metal balls with three insectoid-like eyes.

"Uhh…what is that?" gulped Ezra.

"Destroyers!" hissed Sister. Sabine, Zeb, and Hera opened fire only for the droids to activate personal shields that blocked every shot.

"Run!" yelled Kanan. They turned to flee only to find three more Destroyers approaching from the other side. The group was surrounded and in big trouble. Kanan, Ezra, and Sister didn't have any lightsabers to deflect any blaster fire and with the droids' shielding, they could just mow the rebels down without any resistance.

A sudden flash of light surrounded the group, enveloping them in a bubble of oscillating energy.

"Ray shield. They were expecting us to do this," realized Kanan. Zeb tried to punch the energy but only succeeded in causing a slight ripple in the shield. The Lasat then held his fist wincing in pain. If the rebels weren't out of options before, they were now.

Dozens of pirates approached the shield with their guns drawn led by the XO Xar Zorem. The massive Fallen had a smile on his face. "Leaving so soon?" he mocked.

* * *

"Well this was certainly worth the effort," grumbled Second Sister. She was once again in restraints only this time she had a belt attached to her waist that was chain linked with the rest of the rebels. They were all lined up against a wall with the pirates ready to shoot them if they tried anything. Sister could tell Xar was just itching to something to happen. These pirates might look like your typical pirate scum but they've consistently proven otherwise. The trap with that Kuati freighter and the trap just outside the detention hallway showed how clever they were.

"Chopper you better hurry," whispered Hera next to the former Inquisitor. If that protocol droid didn't do something, they were finished. Unbelievable they managed to survive countless battles against the Empire including escaping Lothal while under martial law, springing a rescue from Tarkin's personal Star Destroyer, escaping Darth Vader on Lothal, escaping the destruction of Artanis Station, and rescuing Rex from Third Sister. They should have died on every single one of those missions and yet they survived. And now they were probably going to die at the hands of pirates. It felt almost embarrassing.

Thrain came calmly walking down the corridor, whistling as if he was taking a pleasure stroll on a beach. "You ungrateful schuttas," he called out.

"We give you an all expenses free trip onboard our wonderful pleasure cruise. Free room, free food, and plenty of crew bonding opportunities. And yet you thank us by breaking out of your cells and beating up my crew. Poor Leandros got a broken jaw trying to serve you food and an apology ain't going to cut it. Now how did this lot escape?" Thrain spoke.

"Those two were the ones who broke out first," Xar answered, pointing to Hera and Sabine.

Thrain pointed to the Twi'lek and said, "Funny how you'd not balling your eyes out anymore. Watch out for the crying ones I always say."

That got a glare from Hera as the pirate turned his attention to Sabine. "As for you. First off…your hair looks weird," explained Thrain.

"Second, your Mandalorian armor may look as ridiculous as your hair but it's becoming more and more obvious that you earned it," smiled Thrain. Sabine didn't have anything to say to that. Not that words would have done any good at this point.

"So now here I am with a purple Wookie, a Mandalorian with no fashion sense, a Twi'lek with horrible acting skills, a kid not even old enough to shave, some random human with a ponytail I couldn't really care less about and then there's you," Thrain said before pointing to Sister.

He walked right up to the former Inquisitor and said, "I know a killer when I see one. They all got a look in their eyes. The same look you're giving me right now. I'm not a betting man but if I was, I'd bet on you if the two of us were ever in a tussle."

"Is this how pirates choose their captains by how much they flap their gums or is it by how much hot air they blow out of it?" spat Sister. That got some amused snickers from the pirates.

"Sweetheart where have you been all my life?" chuckled Thrain. "Allow me to explain what happens next. Since you've all broken one of my rules, you're going to have to be punished."

"Technically you never said trying to escape was against your rules," Ezra pointed out. That got some glares from the rest of the rebels.

"Actually it is. Rule 24: thou shall never attempt to escape from Thrain's hospitality. The fact that I never told any of you that is irrelevant. Ignorance of the law is no excuse," smirked Thrain.

"Then just get it over with already. Anything's better than listening to you prattle on," hissed Sister. Hera elbowed the former Inquisitor in the shoulder with a look that meant shut up.

"My friends I am in love!" exclaimed a sarcastic Thrain. He wrapped his hand around Sister's shoulder and grabbed the chain link to pull on the rebels, letting them know to move. Sister had never needed to restrain herself so much in her life as she was forced to walk alongside this creep. She could wring his neck with the Force but that would probably just get herself and the others killed.

* * *

"Let's all take a walk to the hangar bay," Thrain said.

"Do you know how I got to be captain?" Thrain asked the rebels as they were shoved near the edge of the cargo elevator that led the carbo bay beneath the massive hangar though at the moment with the loader at the bottom of the shaft, it looked more like a massive pit. It looked deep but not far enough to be a fatal drop especially for a Force User. Then again, it wasn't something that Ezra wanted to experience either.

"I'm sure you're going to tell us why," grumbled Zeb.

Nearby the Ghost was parked, just waiting for the crew to escape and board her. Unfortunately, escape was becoming less and less likely. Ezra wondered where Chopper was and more importantly what was he waiting for? Did he not realize that if any miraculous escape was to happen, it needed to be now.

"Why actually I am you defective looking Wookiee," chuckled Thrain. "I got to where I am by making sure people knew that if they broke my rules that there would be consequences. Narel may be the latest on my to-kill-list but the truth is that he's not the first of my sheep to stray from the flock. I'm a very understanding man. You don't have to agree with me on everything and you can even speak your mind openly about it. But regardless of your opinions, you always follow the rules and if you break them then you have to know that there will be consequences."

"However before we do that, there's still the rancor in the room we need to address. You people are probably thinking you're going to escape out of all of this. Well allow me to put those thoughts to rest. You're little escapade earlier is your first and last one. All of you will be spending the rest of this trip shackled together in the same cell. Your cell will be watched by a dozen of my best men and should you somehow get past them, we'll just ray shield all of you again," chuckled Thrain

"Oh did I forget to mention that your little droid isn't going to save you," Thrain added. He snapped his fingers and the pirates separated, making way to two thugs who were escorting a familiar looking droid. Ezra nearly turned pale when he realized it was Chopper.

"I really don't like droids. Yeah they might keep this ship from falling apart but I still don't like them. Which is why I don't give them any weapons…by the way those Destroyer Droids earlier were just for show. They couldn't actually hurt you…anyways back to my original point. I don't give them any weapons and I don't allow any of them access to the security systems. So when Wheels here decided to tamper with your cells, he got quite the security shock," explained Thrain.

If any of the Ghost crew wasn't worried before, they were now. One of the pirates kicked Chopper, knocking him over. That got a chuckle from the rest of the goons.

"Mother kriffer I completely forgot what I was originally talking about….oh yes! Consequences!" laughed Thrain.

The Captain tapped a button on his wrist com. "Ready the appetizer," he ordered.

Ezra wondered what that was supposed to mean until he noticed a cargo crane carrying a small cage towards the elevator shaft. Inside was a Kowakian Monkey-Lizard shrieking and struggling to break free.

"I never liked those things. Monkey lizards have this laugh that always irritated me. It's like they're mocking you. At first I thought the solution was to cut out their tongues until I discovered that they can make a sound I actually enjoy," said Thrain. He tapped a button on his wrist com and Ezra felt the floor shook for a second.

A thunderous roar caused the Padawan to nearly jump out of his shoes. A massive reptilian head emerged into the shaft, barring fangs that were larger than Ezra. He had no idea what that thing was but he had a bad feeling he was going to find out the hard way.

"Meet Tiny. Strange name for a Krayt Dragon I know but to be fair, she was a wee little sand crawler when we found her and gave her the name. Well over the years she's outgrown her cage and her name," chuckled Thrain. "So we keep her in the auxiliary cargo bay and feed her Banthas, Dewbacks, Monkey Lizards, and the occasional mutineers."

The Krayt Dragon hissed in frustration, trying to climb up towards the cage containing the Monkey Lizard but couldn't grab a hold on anything with its limbs.

"Oh Karabas," gulped Zeb.

"You hear that?" Thrain asked, listening to the Monkey Lizard's shrieks of terror. "Now that is a beautiful sound."

The captain tapped a button on his wrist com. The floor of the cage holding the Monkey Lizard opened, dropping the helpless animal down the shaft. The Krayt Dragon jumped up and snatched the smaller creature right out the air with its mouth.

"And that is a beautiful sound as well," chuckled Thrain, referring to the crunching of bone and flesh as the Krayt Dragon chomped down on his meal.

"Look we're not pirates. We just ship illicit cargo for individuals who prefer to bypass Imperial customs," protested Hera. She was trying to conceal their identity by claiming to be smugglers. Hopefully the pirates would buy that though Ezra had a bad feeling Thrain wasn't so gullible.

"Smugglers then. What's your cargo?" smiled Thrain.

"Spice," sighed Hera. That caught the pirates' attention judging from their reactions. The drug was worth its weight in credits to the right buyers.

"You traitor!" shouted Kanan who threw a punch at Hera. The pirates managed to restrain him. Ezra had to give his Master credit, he was a much better actor then he'd thought he'd be. Not to mention he was able to think quickly on his feet. Kanan and Hera managed to put on this little performance together without saying a single word to each other.

"We just finished delivering a shipment to Teth when we picked up the distress signal from your trap. We thought we'd make an easy score scavenging anything useful," said Hera.

"The boss will kill us when he finds out what you just said!" snapped Kanan.

Xar stepped forward. "Does your boss personally supervise your shipments?" he asked.

"Well…yeah. He's kinda a control freak," Sabine spoke up. Ezra was surprised how quickly the crew could just run with this whole act.

"Well just tell us where your pick up your shipments and we'll make sure he's too dead to care while taking the rest of his supply," smiled Xar.

"How do we know you won't just kill us the moment you've got what you want?" demanded Zeb.

"Captain never breaks his word. When he says he's going to do something, he does it," explained Xar. He turned to his boss and asked, "What do you say Captain? Take their boss's spice in exchange for letting them go?"

Ezra was starting to feel a little safer. Looks like the pirates were buying the story which hopefully would buy them time to escape.

The rest of the pirates were nodding in agreement but Thrain wasn't one of them. His smile evaporated and was replaced by a stern look. The Captain walked up to Hera and asked, "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

There was something different in the tone of his voice. Gone was the sarcasm, Thrain's voice was now threatening and even frightening while his breathing was growing more elevated. The Captain grabbed Hera's shirt and squeezed so hard Ezra swore it was going to tear. He was angry and wanted the Twi'lek to know it.

"I've already been treated like an idiot today and I'm going to be honest, I'm sick of it," Thrain hissed. He let go with one hand and tapped a button on his wrist com. The shackled belt unhooked on Hera's wait and dropped to the floor, releasing from the chain gang the rest of the crew was trapped in.

Thrain then suddenly dragged Hera towards the shaft, shoving her to the edge. Ezra was horrified as the Captain held the Twi'lek by the shirt over the edge, threatening to drop her down. The Krayt Dragon hissed below, recognizing another snack was coming his way.

"Hera!" shouted Kanan who instantly subdued by the pirates. Zeb punched the two guards holding him only for Xar to hit in the head with the butt of his huge cannon. The Lasat dropped to his knees dazed while more pirates subdued him. The rest of the rebels were grabbed as well, being forced to their knees to make sure they didn't interfere. It wasn't just the Ghost crew who were stunned by Thrain's sudden change as Xar and the rest of his crew seemed shocked as well.

"Who are you people?! Tell me!" screamed a furious Thrain.

(One slight problem I did have with Rebels over time was most villains throughout the show weren't very interesting. Kallus was boring in season one, Grand Inquisitor was alright but never felt special, Seventh Sister & Fifth Brother felt like Grand Inquisitor knock offs, and don't get me started on Maul. Vader was great but was never the main villain of any season. The only truly great main villain was Thrawn. Clone Wars had a lot of great villians including Sidious, Dooku, Grievous, Maul, Savage, Ventress, and Cad Bane. So I tried to solve that problem by creating new villains like Third Sister, Risar Velken, and Arden Thrain. Hopefully they at least measure up to the standard Clone Wars set.)


	27. Chapter 27

"I already told you," Hera spoke, somehow managing to stay calm. She was no doubt afraid but she was also defiant. Thrain didn't take well to that answer as he holsted the Twi'lek right off her feet, holding her up now completely over the shaft. The Krayt Dragon below tried to leap up but couldn't get high to reach Hera.

Ezra knew there was only one way to save Hera if Thrain decided to drop her. He'd use the Force to levitate her safely out of the shaft. Doing so would expose him and the rest of his friends but right now he didn't care. All Ezra cared about was saving Hera's life.

"Captain!" a voice called out. Everyone turned their gaze to a human male coming down the boarding ramp of the Ghost. He was carrying something in his hand but Ezra couldn't tell what it was.

"Jaybo you better have something important to say," Thrain hissed.

Ezra nearly gasped when Jaybo held up his hand, revealing it was Kanan's holocron. Thrain set Hera down and shoved her back towards the other prisoners.

"That's it? You interrupted us for a fancy looking square?" scoffed Xar. The other pirates didn't seem to get what it was either. Everyone except for Thrain. The Captain's face nearly turned pale as he stormed over to Jaybo and grabbed the cube for a closer inspection. He knew exactly what it was.

"Captain? What's wrong?" a pirate asked. Thrain stared at the cube then at the Ghost Crew. Ezra had a sinking feeling he was figuring out who they were.

"Did you find anything else?" demanded Thrain.

Jaybo shook his head. "My droids are still sweeping the ship," he replied.

"Captain what's going on? What is that thing?" asked Xar.

"Jaybo take their droid and download it's memory. The rest of you take our guests back to the brig. I want at least twenty guards outside their cell," ordered Thrain.

"But what about Leandros captain? They broke his jaw," protested one of the pirates.

"I gave you an order!" shouted Thrain. The pirates were still confused but they quickly did as they were told as they grabbed Ezra and the others, dragging them towards the exit.

* * *

Orkus staggered back into a wall, clenching his mouth as he slide down to the floor. Thrain stood over him, massaging the fist he used to bash his underling's in the jaw. "You mind explaining why I'm just hearing about this now?" the Captain demanded.

Nearby security footage from one of the cells was playing. It showed the dark haired human female throwing the Mandalorian against the wall without ever touching her. The human could use the Force and the fact that Thrain just found out about this now didn't help temper his bad mood. He was having a meeting in his personal quarters with his XO Xar, his Quartermaster Kintara, and his Chief Engineer Jaybo when Orkus interrupted to show the footage.

"I didn't review the footage after the escape. The Mandalorian and the Twi'lek were the ones who busted the others out so I didn't see the need to," protested Orkus. The Weequay spat blood out of his mouth.

"Maybe someone else should be in charge of the brig," suggested Xar.

"I swear it won't happen again Captain," whimpered Orkus.

"Get back to your post. You screw up this badly again and your next posting will be Tiny's chew toy," growled Thrain. The Weequay nodded and quickly scrambled out of the room.

"I've seen more intelligence from a lobotomized Gamorrean," the Captain grumbled as he sat back down in his seat.

"As I was saying before, I checked the HoloNet over anything regarding a Lasat and a Jedi like you asked and I've managed to ID the prisoners," explained Kintara. She activated a personal hologram projector, showing wanted posters for all six of the prisoners. They weren't cargo freighters and they also weren't spice smugglers, they were rebel insurgents and judging from the bounty the Empire placed on them they were very important ones.

Kintara went through a briefing of the prisoners. "These six are called the Phoenix cell. They started off conducting raids and sabotage of various Imperial installations on Lothal but my sources at the Imperial Security Bureau inform me that they've expanded their area of operations. Captain Hera Syndulla, renowned pilot and daughter of Ryloth terrorist Cham Syndulla. I guess terrorism runs in her blood. Kanan Jarrus, gun slinger and Jedi Knight. Not a combination I ever expected to say. Garazeb Orrelios, war criminal and former captain in the Lasan Honor Guard. I'd join insurgents too if they wiped out my people. Sabine Wren is an Imperial deserter who apparently loves to blow things up. Xar would probably like her. Ezra Bridger was some street hustler that got picked up by these guys and apparently he's a Jedi in training. Personally I think that's child endangerment but what do I know. And last though certainly not least is Second Sister. She's some kind of Imperial Jedi black ops killer who defected to the rebellion. Not someone I'd want to meet in a dark alley," she explained.

Xar burst into laughter. "You've got to be joking. The six most wanted criminals in the Outer Rim just landed in our laps. Their combined bounties would make us the richest pirates in the galaxy," he smiled.

"Just handing one of them over the Empire would get us a fortune Captain not to mention that holocron as well. I suggest you contact Moff Sulla and inform him about our guests," agreed Kintara.

The Captain glanced at Jaybo but the Engineer had nothing to say. He knew the kid didn't like this but he'd go along with whatever Thrain decided. The decision was obvious and yet he said a single word that stunned his crew mates. "No," Thrain said.

Xar, Kintara, and even Jaybo all stared at him confused for a moment. They probably thought they heard him wrong.

"Uhh…Captain is this one of your jokes?" asked a confused Kintara.

"You heard me," replied Thrain. His crew stared at him incredulously. "Sulla's going to betray us. I spoke with him not even an hour ago and the kriffer changed the terms of our agreement. Now he wants pirates of value captured alive for him to public executions or we get no fuel."

"Mother kriffer!" cursed Xar.

"Why don't we just give them the prisoners? That should satisfy him," suggested Kintara.

"For the moment but what happens after he takes them? What are we going to offer him in the future? Even if we somehow took every major pirate captain in the Outer Rim prisoner, he's only going to change the conditions again. Sulla is going to make a move against us. He can't allow us to continue to exist. We're proof that people don't need the Empire and that they can forge their own destinies. It's just a matter of how much he can milk us for before cutting the strings," Thrain spoke.

"Okay I understand that Captain but…what do we do?" asked Jaybo. "We can't keep them locked up in the brig forever and once the crew finds out who they are, they are going to want to set a course to the nearest Imperial outpost to collect the reward money."

"I know," grumbled Thrain.

"Let's hand them over, collect the bounty, and then use the credits to ready ourselves against the Empire. We'll be able to purchase more turbolasers, photon torpedoes, ion cannons, and fighters. We'll ensure the Scimitar has enough firepower to take on a Star Destroyer," suggested Xar.

"You're forgetting one important detail. Where are we going to get fuel?" Thrain inquired. "This ship requires an ungodly amount to keep the lights on and we could never hope to make enough money from raids to buy enough to keep us going. The Imperials giving it to us for free is the only reason we've been able to use the Scimitar at all. Without them, this ship is nothing more than an oversized scrap heap. Sure we could purchase it from the Mining Guild with the bounty we'd collect but when Sulla declares us enemies, they won't risk losing their precious Imperial contracts. They won't sell us a drop after that. Maybe the Hutts might but at exorbitant cost once they realize our situation. Our reserves will run dry quickly and then the Imperials or worse Narel and Grakus will hunt us down at their leisure."

"But you haven't answered my question Captain. What do we do?" reminded Jaybo.

Thrain picked up the Jedi holocron sitting on his desk and stared at it once more. "I'm going to have a word with our guests," he said.

He stood up and took the holocron with him as he headed towards the exit. "Xar you're with me."

* * *

"Well we're kriffed," remarked Sister. She was seated on the floor with Ezra and Kanan while the rest were standing around. Their movements were severely limited due to all being shackled together. Add to the fact that everyone was forced to remain so close together for a long time and tempers were bound to flare up.

"Oh shut up," grumbled Sabine. Speaking of tempers flaring.

"You're are in no position to say anything considering the fact that we are far worse off now due to your premature escape attempt," hissed Sister.

"First you complain when I sprung you out of your cell now you're complaining you're back in one. Next chance we get to escape, we should just leave you here," snapped Sabine.

"That's enough!" shouted Hera. "We're going to need to work together if we're going to get out of this and believe me when I say that this is the worst situation we've ever been in. Not only could those pirates sell us to the Imperials, they could sell Chopper as well. If the Empire is able to access his memory banks, they'll be able to hunt down our entire cell including Sato, Ahsoka, and Rex with ease. They'll know all our fallback positions and meeting locations, our supply depots, everything."

"I can't believe everything we've worked for is about to be undone by a bunch of pirates," grumbled Zeb.

"We're not done yet. We just need an opening and then we can get out of here," Kanan said firmly.

"Then we're getting back my droid and taking back my ship," nodded Hera.

"Not to ruin the moment or anything but how exactly are we going to do that?" asked Ezra. "We're shackled together, had no weapons, are being guarded by probably twenty heavily armed guys outside the cell which we can't escape, no hope of anyone coming to help us, and even if we could escape we'd have to get back ray shields and an entire ship filled with probably a lot more pirates to get Chopper and the Ghost. Did I miss anything?"

"No I'm pretty sure you covered everything," sighed Zeb.

"Well I don't plan on staring down an Imperial firing squad so whatever you plan on doing, I suggest we do it quickly," remarked Sister.

The cell door ascended to the ceiling. Everyone still sitting quickly got to their feet as Thrain and Xar stepped inside. Both of them were armed with the Captain carrying Kanan's Holocron. The door slammed down behind them, shutting them in. The two of them were making a pretty bold move. Yeah the Ghost crew might be restrained but that didn't mean they were helpless. Sister consider yanking their weapons away with the Force but that might not be the best idea considering there was a bunch of guards just outside in case that happened.

"I would have brought you all something to eat except you broke the jaw of the last guy to do that," Thrain spoke. "I know who you people are and I know the price on all your heads. I have done a lot of crazy things in my life but even I would have never considering boarding Governor Tarkin's personal Star Destroyer. Not only did you board it, you blew it up. I'd buy the whole lot of you drinks if this was under different circumstances."

"I'll have that drink now if you don't mind," quipped Sister. That got an annoyed look from the others.

"What do you want?" Kanan demanded.

"What any pirate wants. To get rich and waste it all on death sticks, women, and ale. Unfortunately, I found myself at a cross road. One I can't avoid," explained Thrain. He seemed incredibly serious for once. "Aside from me, my XO, and two other people I trust, the rest of my crew doesn't know who you are otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation. I know you're with a large rebel faction operating out of the Lothal Sector. What I want to know is where your fleet gets its fuel."

Sister was confused. Of all the things this pirate would want to interrogate them over, fuel was the last thing she expected. Shouldn't this guy be dropping them off at the nearest Imperial outpost and collecting the reward?

"We don't know what you're talking about," Hera said defiantly.

"I'm having the memory of your droid downloaded. I'm guessing it'll be quite juicy considering my engineer tells me that astromech hasn't been memory wiped in a long time. However I have to be realistic that it may not have what I want to know in its memory. I know you've got a fleet but there's no way you're getting your fuel from the Mining Guild or the Hutts. They wouldn't risk the Empire's wrath selling to you which means you found another supplier. I want to know who that is. You tell me and have a little room for negotiation," Thrain explained.

"Negotiation? Are you serious? You threaten to kill us and now you want to negotiate?" snapped Kanan. He was still a little mad over the pirate nearly killing his girlfriend.

"Why should we believe you?" demanded Sabine.

"You're a little lite on options at the moment sweetheart. This only ends one of three ways. One, I sell you to the Empire. Two, I kill you all and sell your corpses to the Empire should you prove more trouble then you're worth. The Imperials won't pay as much but I'll still come out ahead. Or the third option we negotiate," Thrain said.

"Negotiate what?" asked Ezra.

"My ship is a real gas guzzler. You might have noticed how big it is. The Scimitar may be the most powerful pirate ship in the Outer Rim but it requires a lot work to keep working and a lot of fuel. My supplier is becoming less reliable by the day and I have too many enemies that would just love to wait until my ship runs out of juice and attack," continued Thrain.

"What does this have to do with us?" demanded Sister.

"You introduce me to your supplier and I'll consider letting you go," Thrain said.

"Captain?!" hissed a stunned Xar. The captain silenced him with a look. The fact that the smaller human could intimidate the larger Fallen spoke volumes of how dangerous Thrain was.

"Right and I'm the queen of Alderaan," mocked Sabine, rolling her eyes.

"Laugh it up princess but once you're done, you might want to think it over," Thrain retorted. "You can either help me get a new supply of fuel or you can make me credits from your bounty. The choice is yours but don't think too long. It's only a matter of time before the crew figures out who you are and once they do, I'm not going to have a choice in the matter. Either I turn you over to the Empire or I get deposed and they'll elect a new captain who will turn you over."

Thrain then approached Kanan and held up the holocron. "I take it this is yours?" he asked.

Kanan didn't answer. Not a word or a subtle nod. "It's been a long time since I've seen a Jedi and an even longer time since I've seen one of these. You look like you're in your thirties which would have made you a kid during Order 66. How'd you survive?" Thrain inquired.

This pirate was starting to confuse Sister more and more. Why'd he care so much about something as irrelevant as Kanan's past?

"By avoiding men like you," Kanan spat.

Thrain smirked in amusement. "Good advice," he chuckled.

The captain then turned his attention to Sister. "And how in the galaxy did you not only survive 66 but worked for the Empire?" he wondered.

"I was very good at killing," Sister smiled.

"I'll bet," Thrain laughed. "I'll give you all an hour to consider my offer. If you say no then Tarkin's going to get a special delivery today."

He headed to the exit with Xar and tapped a button on his wrist com. The cell door opened and the two pirates left before the door slammed shut down behind them.

"He's lying about letting us go isn't he?" asked Ezra.

"Big time," agreed Sabine.

* * *

Xar grabbed Thrain by the arm once they were alone in a hallway, stopping him in his tracks. "What are you doing Arden?" the Fallen demanded.

Thrain swatted the large hand off him. "I'm doing what needs to be done," he hissed.

"Costing the crew a fortune?" snapped Xar.

"No. Giving them a future," replied Thrain. "If it turns out these people can lead us to a new supplier of fuel then we don't need Sulla or the kriffing Imperials. We will be able to do whatever we want, take whatever we want from whomever we want. We will truly be free. No more masters or overseers."

Xar shook his head. "The crew won't like it Captain," he said.

"The whole point of being a captain is to see down the road. I don't care about credits, I care about power and this ship is power. What else but an Imperial Star Destroyer has a chance of taking us on? And that's only for now. Imagine once we've gotten enough money to retrofit the Scimitar like you suggested earlier then it'll be us against the whole kriffing galaxy!" laughed Thrain.

"You're assuming the rebels' supplier is willing to give to do business," pointed out Xar.

"I won't give him or her a choice. The only people I share with are my crew and I have no intention of sharing fuel with a bunch of glorified do gooders. The Empire may pay us a fortune if we turn the six in our brig over them but how much do you think they'll pay us for taking down the entire rebel fleet?" smiled Thrain.

The wheels were turning in the XO's mind as he realized the Captain's plan. "You turn in the entire fleet and we'll get paid enough to buy a planet," chuckled Xar.

"With that fleet gone the supplier will have no other customer except us and if they refuse, we'll kill them and take their supply for ourselves," remarked Thrain.

"For a moment there I thought you were going soft," smiled Xar.

"I don't even know the meaning of the word," replied Thrain.

"But what if the prisoners won't cooperate?" inquired Xar.

"I'm a man of my word. Tarkin will have a good day," answered Thrain. The two fist-bumped and the XO walked off. Thrain watched the Fallen leave before his fake smile faded. He then lifted up the holocron and gazed into one more time.

* * *

Orkus clenched his jaw. It still stung after the Captain decked him. Thrain wasn't known for getting violent with his men unless they either betray him or really screw up. In Orkus's case, it was one of the two but not the one that the Captain thought. Nearly getting a broken a jaw might be worth it though it had been unnecessary if some people just responded to messages sooner.

A red light at his console caught his attention. It was about time he replied. Orkus opened an audio only channel, ensuring first that it wouldn't be detected by anyone monitoring the long range transmitter.

"What took you so long?" hissed Orkus.

"I was busy old friend," said Narel.

"Thrain nearly broke my jaw because you were busy. I couldn't hold off showing him the footage so I feigned incompetence," snapped Orkus.

"I'm sure that came natural to you," chuckled Narel.

"Well he figured out who they are which means he'll probably announce to the crew about collecting the bounty any minute. You said Grakus would only attack the Scimitar if the fight was worth it well now it is," said Orkus.

"Grakus will never attack that ship as long as its defenses are fully operational," replied Narel.

"Funny you should say that. The defenses can be disabled with a full diagnostic however the moment the bridge picks up a threat, they reactivate everything. It'll take maybe two minutes but if you knew where the Scimitar will head next, you can hit this ship the moment it arrives before they have a chance to get ready," explained Orkus.

"That's a big if," scoffed Narel.

"But worth it. You'll be able to rid yourself of Thrain and get your hands on the six most wanted fugitives in the Outer Rim at the same time," Orkus urged.

Narel was silent, thinking it over. "We'll need the exact coordinates where the Scimitar will arrive next," he said.

"You'll have it," Orkus assured him.

"Then you better get yourself ready. Thrain and the others won't go down without a fight," Narel spoke.

(Thank you GIANTPANDAMAN for pointing out that slight plot hole in the last chapter because after I realized it, I figured out how to integrate it into the story. A little short but only so I can give you guys something while I work on the next chapter which will be the action chapter. Those usually take longer to write so here's something to hold you all over.)


	28. Chapter 28

Thrain sat in his quarters, staring at the holocron sitting on his desk. Seeing it conjured out a list of memories he thought he'd never have to deal with ever again. He told himself he needed to change in order to survive and he did. Thrain became the complete opposite of everything he once was. He became so good at playing pirate that it became less of a role and more of who he really was. Now those Jedi and their companions had to drop in with this holocron of theirs to throw everything out of whack.

Thrain's mind recalled back to lessons so old they were almost forgotten. He stretched out his hand as well as his mind. It's been so long since he's tried this but he's never had a reason to do so.

" _This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi,"_ a voice spoke.

Thrain opened his eyes to see the holocron displaying a holographic image of the famed Jedi Master.

" _I regret to report both our Jedi Master and the Republic have fallen with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder to any surviving Jedi. Trust in the Force. Do not return to the temple, that time has past and our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust, our faith, our friendships, but we must perceiver and in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you,"_ the image spoke before freezing in place.

Thrain stared directly into the hologram's eyes. He had a few words to say and since there was probably no Jedi Master left alive, this little beam of shaped light will just have to suffice.

"I remember you from a lecture during my Initiate days. I thought you were everything a Jedi could ever hope to be. Wise and humble yet powerful. I listened to you, Yoda, Windu, and all the others, hanging on their every word. But that's the thing, I didn't know any better. I grew up being told my entire life that becoming a Jedi Knight was the most important thing in my life. I never volunteered, I never consented. My parents did that for me and condemned me to a life I had no choice in. I was a slave to your dogma and your ideals. There were no physical chains but you placed plenty of mental ones on us all. Don't do this or you'll never be a Jedi. You better do this or you'll never be a Jedi. The Republic this and the Republic that. All the lectures and the scolding and for what? So I could throw my life away for your beloved Republic instead of enjoying my life and having freedom to choice whatever I want. Well the Jedi are gone and I'm still alive. It's not because of your training but because I cast it aside. I am no one's slave. Not the Empire's, not the Hutt's, and certainly not the Jedi's," he spoke.

Thrain rose to his feet. "So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to sell those Jedi to the Empire as well as that rebel cell then I'm going to pawn this holocron off to the highest bidder and I'm not doing it just to be petty. I'm doing it so I can be rich and you, your precious order, and your precious Republic can all go to hell!" he snapped.

The holocron deactivated, as if somehow realizing he was a Jedi no more. Deep down Thrain already knew it but seeing this wretched cube brought back memories that for a moment made him think otherwise. There was no going back. The Jedi were gone as was the Republic. This galaxy wasn't worth fighting for and never had been.

Thrain activated his wrist-com. "Xar meet me at the cells. It's time our guests give us their answer," he said.

* * *

Sister tried to suppress the migraine she was developing listening to Zeb bang against the wall, hoping to weaken his restraints. The only thing he was accomplishing was getting on the former Inquisitor's nerves.

"Zeb will you give it a rest?" grunted an annoyed Ezra.

"I've already been in an Imperial cell once already, I'm not going back," hissed Zeb. He raised his fists to slam his restraints down. Kanan held on his hands and telekinetically held the Lasat's hands in the air, preventing him from moving.

"Hey!" shouted Zeb, realizing what was going on.

"Zeb those restraints are magnetically locked meaning you'll break every bone in your hands before you loosen them up. Save your strength," explained Kanan.

"Yeah use your head instead. It's not like you use that for anything useful," muttered Sister.

A klaxon heard overhead interrupted whatever retort the Lasat was about to shout. "What's going on?" asked Ezra.

"I could be wrong but I think the ship is under attack," realized Hera.

"Could it be Commander Sato and Ahsoka?" Ezra asked hopeful.

"Do you really believe we could ever be that lucky?" Sister scoffed.

"Whoever it is, now's the time get out of here. C'mon let's see if the Force works on these restraints," said Kanan.

* * *

"Kintara what's going on?" Thrain shouted into his wristcom. He had been on his way to the cells with Xar when the alarms went off. The distinct sound meant that the ship was under attack.

" _Ten ships attacked us the moment we dropped out of hyperspace. They knew exactly where we'd be and are attempting to dock on our hulls,"_ reported Kintara.

"It's Narel. He's the only nerf herder stupid enough to attack this ship. Shoot them," ordered Thrain.

" _We can't. The weapons systems were undergoing a full diagnostic when the attack began,"_ explained Kintara.

"Who authorized that?!" shouted Thrain. Whoever did this didn't inform the Captain beforehand which mean their bones would be used as toothpicks by Tiny for that.

He didn't get the answer he was expecting. A series of blaster fire and screaming could be heard through the intercom.

" _Orkus what are you doing?"_ Kintara could be heard shouting before another blaster shot.

"Kintara report!...Report!" Thrain shouted. He got no response.

"We've been betrayed," realized Xar.

"I'm going to feed Orkus his own intestines. That kriffing schutta's in league with Narel. Get the men ready for our guests," ordered Thrain. Xar rushed off to get the crew ready for battle.

Thrain tapped his wrist com. "Jaybo I need you to lockdown the bridge controls remotely. Orkus has betrayed us and I'm not going to let that kriff turn this ship against us," he ordered.

Thrain's been betrayed plenty of times but never by someone like Orkus. The guy always seemed a little slow but smart enough to get his job done and more importantly loyal. Still the Captain was prepared for something like this. Jaybo, Xar, and Kintara were the only crew members he truly trusted so he made sure the four of them knew about his contingency plan.

" _Understood. Do you want me to prepare the red carpet protocol?"_ Jaybo asked.

Thrain smiled, "Wait until all their ships docked with us then give them our welcome party."

* * *

Orkus clenched his side, the blaster wound to his ribs nearly bringing tears to his eyes. He just cleared the bridge of opposition but Kintara managed to fire once on him before he could take her out. Orkus was lucky she didn't get more time to line her shot or he might be dead. But the quartermaster was now dead just like the rest of the bridge crew. It was important for the room to be cleared before Narel and Grakus entered the ship. The diagnostic cycle stalled the bridge crew from attacking but wouldn't stop them for long. Now the invaders could enter the ship unopposed. So far everything was going according to plan.

He shoved Kintara's corpse off the command console and started accessing the security systems.

"Narel do you read me? I've taken control of the bridge," reported Orkus as he locked down the room's entrance.

" _Shut down all security fields and blast doors. My men outnumber Thrain's so this will be quick. I've already got a team near the detention block to secure the prisoners,"_ ordered Narel.

"I'm on it," replied Orkus.

" _Orkus I know you can hear me,"_ Thrain's voice came over the com. Orkus tried his best to ignore it. _"I wanted to thank you for bringing Narel here. It'll save me the trouble of hunting him down and the rest of the traitors hiding among my crew. Just for that, you won't need to worry about Tiny but Kintara was a good friend of mine. For that, I'm going to kill you with my bare hands."_

"Good luck with that," scoffed Orkus.

" _Orkus!"_ shouted Narel from the com.

"Give me a minute, I'm almost done," sighed Orkus.

" _The droids are shooting us. You said they didn't have any weapons!"_ screamed Narel.

Orkus gasped. The left over droids from the Clone Wars all had their weapons removed on Thrain's orders. They were only used for maintenance purposes or simply scaring intruders onboard. Did the Captain really keep them armed all these years and lied to the crew?

His terminal suddenly went red, indicating a lockdown protocol. Orkus was locked out of the controls. That kriffing son of a Hutt Thrain was prepared for something like this.

" _I'm coming Orkus,"_ Thrain's voice warned over the com.

* * *

"C'mon concentrate," snapped Zeb. Sister, Ezra, and Kanan were all focusing on the Lasat's shackles, trying to use the Force to rip them open.

"Shut it dead weight," grumbled Sister.

"Yeah Zeb. This isn't as easy as it…" Ezra agreed before he was interrupted by a scream.

"Do you hear that?" asked Hera. The others quickly moved to the door where they could hear shouting and blaster fire. There was a fight going on outside the cell.

"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Ezra.

"Depends on who's fighting out there and who's winning," remarked Sabine. The cell door opened with three humans stepping inside. They were armed with blaster rifles and ragtag armor. Definitely not members of the rebellion judging from the tattoos on their faces. Most likely a rival pirate gang. Sister's suspicions seemed confirmed as she glanced outside the cell to see at least two pirates lying on the floor dead in the detention hallway.

"You're all coming with us," said one of the goons.

The Ghost crew all looked at each other than back at the newcomers. "There's only three of you?" asked Hera.

"Excuse me?" frowned the leader.

"I was just wondering why there's no else with you. Thrain was never stupid enough to leave us with only three guards," smiled Hera.

"We don't work for Thrain. We work for…" protested the leader.

"Don't care," Sister said before she, Kanan, and Ezra all unleashed a force blast that knocked the three goons right into the wall with enough force to break bones and render them all unconscious.

Zeb quickly grabbed some fallen blasters and started shooting the restraints off everyone. The crew scrambled outside the cell and grabbed additional blasters from the corpses lying in the hallway. Looks like the rival pirates had a lot more people before they got into this room. After that, it became a slaughterhouse for both sides with all of Thrain's guards dead and only three left from the invaders.

"Okay we need to take advantage of this. We need to find Chopper and get back to the Ghost," said Hera.

"But where do we find that droid? This ship is massive," pointed out Zeb.

"This is a Providence class dreadnaught. I'm boarded more than one during the Clone Wars. They're all designed the exact same way which means you're droid is probably in the machine shop near Main Engineering," said Sister.

"Then you'll lead the way," said Hera.

"You all go on ahead. There's something I've got to do," said Kanan.

Everyone stared at him in disbelief. "You're going after the holocron aren't you?" realized Ezra.

"It's the only way to ensure that the Jedi manage to continue should anything happen to us all and Ahsoka," explained Kanan.

Sister rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.

"Kanan I realized how important it is to you but it's too risky. We've got to get off this ship as soon as possible and you don't know where Thrain could have put it," argued Hera.

"He'll probably have it in either his quarters or on him," Kanan said.

"He could bunk in any one of a hundred different rooms and that's assuming he even put it in his quarters," protested Sister.

"Then I'll find Thrain and ask him," Kanan said firmly before he took off running.

"Kanan!" Hera shouted at him but the Jedi was already gone.

"And you complain when I run off?" quipped Sister.

"I'm going to kill him. Zeb you and Ezra go after him," sighed a frustrated Hera.

"C'mon kid. We might be saving him from pirates but we won't be able to save him from Hera after all of this," Zeb said as he and Ezra broke off from the others.

* * *

Thrain burst onto the bridge like a raging Rancor. He scanned the room, ready to blast anything with his personal disrupter. He was already enraged at the betrayal of Orkus and now seeing the corpses of his crew members especially Kintara. She had originally been a member of a wealthy family that fell on hard times and had been on the run from the Hutts who decided her family's debts were her's. She picked up work when she could on different ships until joining up with Thrain and Xar who at the time had just recently took over a small band of pirates. She was with them after they found the Scimitar and managed to get it up and running. Now she was dead and her murderer was going to suffer for it.

Orkus leaped up from behind a console and opened fire. Thrain rolled out of any incoming blaster fire and with a motion of his hand, sent Orkus's blaster flying out of his grasp. The Weequay stared at his hand, stunned.

"You're…you're a…" Orkus stuttered.

"Jedi? You'll only wish I was," Thrain smiled. With a motion of his hand, Orkus found himself flying right into the captain who grabbed him by the throat. Thrain unleashed a fury of fists right into his jaw and nose. Orkus dropped the ground, spitting out blood. Thrain sat down on his chest and punched him again and again and again and again. Letting his anger take over, Thrain continued pummeling the Weequay. By the time he stopped, Thrain was covered in blood and Orkus's face was barely recognizable.

The pirate captain looked at the blood dripping down his hands and smiled. He never felt more alive.

* * *

Hera fired a blaster bolt that destroyed a ray shield generator on the ceiling. "Not going to run into one of those again," she remarked as the three were on the move.

"If another hoard of pirates was attacking the ship, how come we haven't seen any more of them?" asked Sabine.

A group of two metallic balls rolled down the hallway before unfolding themselves, revealing they were Destroyer Droids. Their shields activated and they opened fire with their blaster arms. Hera, Sabine, and Sister all quickly took cover behind wall alcoves.

"Never mind. I think I know now," said Sabine.

"I hate these droids," grumbled Sister.

"I guess Thrain was lying about these droids being unarmed," Hera commented as she returned fire. Her blaster bolts harmlessly dissipated on the droids' shields.

"Gee a pirate lied. What a shock," chuckled Sabine.

"Hera give me your blaster," ordered Sister.

"Excuse me?" frowned Hera.

"Just do it!" shouted the former Inquisitor. Hera wasn't happy about but tossed Sister her weapon.

"Draw their attention Deathwatch," ordered Sister. She then tossed both her weapon and Hera's through the air towards the Destroyer Droids.

"What are you doing?!" shouted Hera.

Sister ignored her and focused. The two blasters flew over the droids and then stopped in mid-air with the Force. Sabine fired at the droids, her shots no threat to the droids' shields but it draw their attention. They turned their blasters on her as the two floating blasters slowly descended in the air towards the Destroyers. Sister concentrated, she needed the weapons to move as slow as possible. Destroyers' energy barriers were designed to stop energy or physical matter that moved above a certain speed. Go slow enough and something can harmlessly pass through.

"Anytime now Nut Job!" Sabine yelled at the former Inquisitor.

The blasters' barrel penetrated the shields and Sister clenched both of her fists. The weapons opened fire, hitting the Destroyers in the head. The droids stumbled then collapsed to the floor, their shields vanishing as the machines short-circuited and went offline.

Sister threw a smirk at Hera and Sabine who were stunned. "Glad I didn't leave for Nar Shaddaa now?" she mocked.

* * *

Kanan didn't know where he was going but he didn't need to. After spending so many years with it, Kanan learned he could feel the small machine's location via the Force. It was why he allowed Ezra to steal it when they first met as he didn't have to worry about losing it. He would always know where it was so now all he had to do was follow his instincts and they would lead him right to the holocron. The problem was fighting all the pirates along the way. They weren't easy but they also weren't a match for a Jedi, even one who was missing his lightsaber.

He followed the Force's guidance and realized he was heading towards the bridge. Of course it just had to be on the most important room on the ship and probably the most heavily guarded. Kanan knew the basic layout of the old Separatist ship from his days in the Clone Wars but it wasn't a clear picture. He would just have to use his stolen blaster and the Force to get the Holocron and get out.

Kanan was ready for a fight so imagine his surprise when he entered the bridge and found nothing but a room filled with corpses. Most of them had been shot but one of the bodies had his head bludgeoned so badly his skull was practically a bloody stain. Did the invading pirates try to take the bridge? If so then nobody won especially the guy who lost his head.

That's when he felt something different in the Force. Pure rage was emanating from the room. Acts of violence don't cause this kind of ripple. Only someone who could use the Force could create such a powerful emotion like this. Aside from maybe Second Sister, Kanan had no idea who else could have done this but the former Inquisitor couldn't have. There's no way she could have beaten him to the bridge and also, this kind of violence wasn't her style. She could be brutal but her brutality had a sense of purpose to it. Whatever happened here was just pure rage.

Kanan sensed something else and turned too late to see someone rushing at him. It happened so fast that he didn't have a chance to react before he was tackled and slammed onto a computer console. He was finally face to face with his attacker and realized it was Thrain. Something was completely different about him. Not just the sadistic smile on his face but his eyes were yellow. They were blue last time Kanan saw him. No way, this was impossible.

"You..you're…" gasped Kanan as Thrain choked him as well as swatting the blaster out of the Jedi's hand.

"Jedi? You're the second person to say that to me today. I crushed the skull of the last person," Thrain said almost gleefully. The Dark Side could twist your mind especially to those who embrace it completely as Thrain seems to have done. Kanan thrusted his right leg up and kicked the pirate in the face. The blow loosened his grip, allowing Kanan to Force Push him away. Thrain was tossed backwards but simply rolled with it and landed on his feet.

The pirate smiled as a drop of blood dripped down his mouth. "And here I thought you survived Order 66 because you got lucky. Turns out you do have a spine," he mocked.

"You can't be a Jedi," protested Kanan.

"The Trial of Skill, The Trial of Courage, The Trial of the Flesh, The Trial of the Spirit, and The Trial of Insight. Any of those sound familiar? I passed them all," mocked Thrain. Those were the names of the trials Jedi Padawans had to pass in order to become Jedi Knights. Kanan wouldn't have believed such a claim by the pirate except for the fact was that those trials were kept secret by the Jedi. Only members of the Order knew about them and swore never to tell.

"I was the good little soldier fighting for the Republic then one day, the Council chose me for a dangerous assignment. They wanted me to infiltrate a gang of pirates and use them to find another band that was raiding Republic supply convoys in the Outer Rim. It was supposed to be a simple few weeks undercover but it turned into a permanent assignment when the Jedi suffered the most epic fail in recorded history with Order 66. Nearly ten thousand wiped out in a single day. Now that is pathetic," laughed Thrain.

"I, on the other hand, had been safely deleted from the Jedi archives with only the Jedi Council knowing about my real identity. With all of them gone, it was the perfect time for a fresh start," continued Thrain. Kanan sensed something and turned to see one of the corpses flying at him. Thrain distracted him and used the Force to throw one of his own crewmember's bodies at the Jedi. Kanan jumped out of the way only to get tackled to the ground by Thrain. The pirate mounted on top of him and rained blows down on Kanan's face. The Jedi cover his head with his arms, trying to block the onslaught.

Kanan caught Thrain's left fist and pulled the pirate closer to the ground, allowing the Jedi to hit Thrain in the face with a forearm shot. Thrain just seemed smile from the blow but was distracted long enough for Kanan to summon his fallen blaster to his hand. Thrain blocked Kanan from firing a kill shot as a blaster bolt harmlessly passed his head and hit the ceiling. Thrain slammed Kanan's gun hand over and over again until the Jedi's weapon went flying out of his hand. Kanan then used the Force on a datapad his noticed sitting on a nearby console and sent it flying right into Thrain's head. The impact knocked the pirate senseless and allowed Kanan to shove him off.

The Jedi quickly got to his feet to see Thrain back on his as well. The pirate was incredibly resilient which might explain why he was the captain of such a large ship. The fact that he used to be a Jedi only made it worse. Thrain was trained to fight like a Jedi which meant he knew exactly how to fight one. Gone was the martial arts approached that he was probably trained with in the Temple and was replaced by a brawling style he probably picked up during his days as a pirate.

Kanan blocked a left hook and countered with a quick jab. Thrain retaliated by suddenly rushing forward and wrapping his hands around Kanan's head, putting him in a clinch. Kanan suddenly found himself trying to protect his face more than fighting back as Thrain shoved his head closer to the ground so he could hit the Jedi in the face with a series of knees. Kanan caught his opponent off guard by suddenly dropping to the floor and tripping Thrain by knocking his legs out from under him. The pirate kicked Kanan away before he could capitalize and the two quickly got to their feet.

"Glad to see you're ignored most of those hand to hand combat lessons the old Temple masters gave. They may look pretty on a training floor but not so much in the real world," chuckled Thrain.

"What happened to you?" demanded Kanan.

"I don't need to tell you because you already know. You've already experienced it," chuckled Thrain. "The betrayal, the running for your life, hiding what you really were, being hunted down for simply existing. I went through all of that but I got stronger from it. It's why I run this ship and its crew. It's why the name Arden Thrain is the most feared pirate in the entire Outer Rim."

"And what about the vows you took becoming a Knight? What about the Masters who raised you and trained you?!" shouted Kanan.

"Why are we talking so much? This is a fight," shrugged Thrain. With a downward motion of the pirate's hands, several ceiling tiles came crashing on top of the Jedi.

* * *

"C'mon kid. Can you sense where Kanan is or not?" grumbled Zeb.

"The Force isn't a compass Zeb," snapped Ezra. "I think we're closer but I can't give you an exact location."

"I'm starting to think this whole Force thing is vastly overrated," muttered Zeb.

"Oh can it Dead Weight. Kanan's around here somewhere," retorted Ezra.

"You did not just call me that!" snapped Zeb.

"They went this way!" a voice shouted behind them. Zeb and Ezra turned around to see a band of pirates rushing down the corridor after them.

"Run!" shouted Zeb. He fired a few shots at the pirates before he and the kid took off running, ducking from the various blaster bolts that were fired back at them.

* * *

The three female members of the Ghost crew stormed into the droid maintenance shop. It was massive with dozens of various battle droids and maintenance droids all lined up waiting to be serviced. Considering how big this ship was, Sister was surprised there weren't more droids here.

Hera motioned for everyone to take cover upon hearing a voice. Everyone quickly hide behind droid stacks. Sister glanced out from cover to see a single individual at a work station. She recognized him as Jaybo, the pirate who found Kanan's holocron. Chopper was on an examination table nearby, strapped down with metallic restraints.

"Most of the invaders have been neutralized and our fighters have destroyed the last of their boarding crafts. The survivors are falling back to the main hangar bay," Jaybo spoke to someone on the com.

" _Make sure your droids take Grakus and Narel alive as well as those rebels. They've escaped again and the captain wants them alive,"_ Xar's voice ordered.

"Don't worry. They won't stay hidden for long," Jaybo replied before cutting the transmission.

"You're right about that," called out Sister. She stood up and thrusted her hands out, using the Force to fling Jaybo over his work console and into a droid rack. The column of droids keeled over, burying Jaybo amongst deactivated machines. Sister wasn't sure if he was alive or dead and quite frankly didn't care.

"You're in a bad mood today," remarked Sabine.

"I don't like jail cells," grumbled Sister.

"You don't like a lot of things," quipped Sabine.

Hera quickly undid Chopper's restraints and reactivated the droid. "Chopper are you alright?" she asked.

Chopper muttered something about wanting to kill some meatbags. What was that supposed to mean?

"We don't have time for that Chopper. We need to get to the Ghost and get out of here," said Hera.

"I'll check the computer. Make sure any information they got from Chopper is scrubbed," said Sabine. She started working away at Jaybo's work console.

"What about the ship's tractor beam? There's no point in escaping while it's active," Sister pointed out.

"We don't need to. There's an old trick to avoiding tractor beams though it's not used very often. We keep the Ghost close to this ship's outer hull. Too close for them to get a lock on us. We just stay there long enough to plot a hyperspace jump and escape," explained Hera.

"And what's to stop them from shooting us with their turbolasers or sending fighters after us?" pointed out Sister.

"Like I said, it's not used very often," shrugged Hera.

Sabine spoke up, "Hey this is the droid control console."

"Can you turn the pirate's droids against them or at least shut them down?" asked Hera.

Sabine shook her head. "Already tried. The computer requires a security code to access commands like that and we don't have the time for me to slice it," she answered.

"Figures," grumbled Sister.

"Okay all of the info they downloaded from Chopper's been deleted," said Sabine.

"Then let's find the others. We'll sabotage the hangar bay guns and get off this ship," stated Hera.

* * *

"Think they're gone?" whispered Zeb. Ezra wasn't sure but he couldn't hear their pursuers anymore. They ducked inside of a storage room to hide and they haven't heard anything for the past several minutes.

"Zeb I've been thinking. Since no one else clearly doesn't want Sister as a roommate, maybe we should change it up. How about she bunks with me and you bunk with Kanan," suggested Ezra.

"Should we really be having this conversation now kid?" muttered Zeb.

"Well I like to be optimistic and plan for what we're going to do after we get outta here," chuckled Ezra.

Zeb laughed. "You really don't want her to leave do you?"

"She saved our lives Zeb. More than once and we've done the same for her. We're stronger with her then without her," stated Ezra.

The Lasat didn't give him an answer. He just opened the door to the hallway and glanced out. "The coast is clear. Let's move," Zeb said.

The two headed outside and were back on track on finding Kanan. Or rather as best as they could with Ezra trying to sense his Master's presence.

"You're a lousy compass," grumbled Zeb after he was certain they'd walked in circles.

"Hey I'm just following the Force," protested Ezra.

"Well then that is a terrible compass," replied Zeb.

The two of them nearly leaped out of their skins as two figures came crashing into the hall. Kanan had Thrain in a choke hold but didn't have it locked in, allowing the pirate to carry Kanan on his back and slam the Jedi into a wall. Thrain forced Kanan's arm off his neck and landed an elbow into Kanan's chin.

Ezra pulled out his blaster to try and shoot the pirate.

"Kid!" Zeb yelled. Ezra turned to see what he was talking about only to see the butt of a massive rifle coming right at him.

* * *

"Kid!" Zeb yelled but the youngest member of the Ghost didn't have time to react before Xar Zorem knocked him out with the butt of his heavy repeating blaster. The Fallen XO turned his weapon on Zeb but the Lasat managed to tackle the brute and slam him into a wall. The two struggled before control of the pirate's large weapon. Zeb would easily overpower a normal sized Fallen but this guy was massive for his species and incredibly strong. The Lasat released his grip on the weapon and pulled out his stolen blaster.

Having only to struggle with one of the rebel's hands, Xar wretched his weapon free and used it to knock the blaster from Zeb's hand. The Lasat decided to throw caution to the wind and grabbed the pirate's weapon again only this time he head-butted the large brute. Xar staggered but held on tight to his weapon. Zeb then fell backwards, holding onto Xar then pushing up with his legs once Zeb's back his the floor. Xar was monkey-flipped over Zeb and landed painfully on his back, finally releasing his hold on his blaster.

The Lasat got back to his feet and went for Xar's blaster. But the large weapon suddenly flew through the air away from his grasp. Zeb had been around enough Kanan and Ezra enough to know when someone was using the Force except why in the galaxy would those two try and stop him from grabbing a weapon? He glanced up to see the heavy blaster now in the hands of Arden Thrain. What in the universe was happening?

Before Thrain had a chance to shoot Zeb, Kanan came flying at him with a kick to the pirate's chest. Thrain was knocked off his feet and the weapon fell from his hands. Kanan didn't have time to capitalize before getting grabbed from behind by Xar who lifted the Jedi into the air and hurled him face first into a wall.

Zeb quickly rushed over to grab his fallen blaster but that oversized Fallen came charging at him. Xar kicked the blaster away before Zeb could grab it and now the two brutes found themselves fighting hand to hand. Zeb might have been trained in the Lasan Honor Guard but it was clear after blocking a few punches of the Fallen's punches that Xar wasn't your typical opponent. He wouldn't be surprised if the Fallen is a pit fighter in his spare time because he punched like a Wookie.

Zeb blocked a punched and countered with an uppercut. Xar took the blow and retaliated with a series of chest punches. Zeb tried to kick the pirate away in the chest but Xar once again just took the blow and kept on fighting like nothing happened. Zeb blocked a roundhouse punch with his forearm but Karabas it hurt. Xar then punched Zeb's ribs then sternum followed by a quick jab to the face. Fighting hand to hand with this guy was going to get the Lasat killed so he decided to use more than just his hands.

The moment Xar tried another roundhouse, Zeb grabbed the Fallen not with his hands but with one of his dexterous feet. The brute wasn't expecting such an attack and was caught off guard when he was suddenly yanked off his feet by the Lasat's feet. Zeb landed on top of him and started punching the Fallen, desperate to end this all before more pirates show up. Problem was the big brute didn't seem ready to let up. He blocked all of Zeb's blows and suddenly grabbed the Lasat by the wrists and spun, causing Zeb to topple over and now it was Xar on top of him.

Zeb received one blow after another, his vision getting blurry and his mind dizzy which meant he probably got a concussion. A headache would be the least of the Lasat's problem if he couldn't get out of this. But the brute was just too strong and his attacks too vicious. Xar then grabbed Zeb's neck and started squeezing, choking the life out of him.

"I'll settle with just collecting the bounty on your corpse," smiled Xar. Zeb gasped for air, his vision starting to go dark.

A sudden noise echoed in the room followed by a gasp from Xar. The horrified Fallen glanced down at his chest which Zeb realized had a burn mark on it. Someone just shot him. Xar's expelled one breathe and fell to the side, toppling over Zeb and releasing his grip. Zeb kicked the pirate away and turned to see Kanan standing with a blaster in hand, it's barrel smoking.

"You sure took your time," grumbled Zeb. Kanan gave him a smirk in response.

"XAR! NO!" Thrain yelled. Zeb turned to see the pirate captain who was on his feet and he was furious. Thrain thrusted out his hands and, to Zeb's surprise, suddenly found himself, Kanan, and an unconscious Ezra flying across the hallway.

Zeb came crashing down on the metallic floor, knocking the wind out of him. It took a moment to recover himself and sit up. Down the hallway, Thrain was dragging Xar's body to the safety of a nearby room. As soon as the captain got his XO inside, he slammed the door shut. There was no point in going after him.

"Wait a second. Did he just do the whole Force thing?" Zeb asked as he picked up the unconscious Ezra.

"Yeah. Long story," explained Kanan.

"Well tell it to me another time. We need to leave," Zeb said.

"I'm not leaving the holocron," protested Kanan.

"Kanan we barely survived that fight and that was just two pirates. Thrain's probably calling reinforcements. If we stay here, we're going to die! Hera will die! Sabine will die! Ezra will die!" snapped Zeb.

Kanan was clearly conflicted. Zeb knew how important the holocron was to him but was it worth all their lives?

"Alright fine let's go," Kanan sighed.

* * *

"You're going to be okay buddy," Thrain tried to assure his XO and tapped his com unit. "I NEED A MEDICAL DROID ON LEVEL 1, ROOM A-23!"

"You used that trick you used to do boss. You haven't done that since we first met back on that Zygerrian slave ship," Xar chuckled before coughing up blood. He was referring to seeing Thrain use the Force.

"Yeah I'll use it to yo yo Narel above Tiny once this is all over. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of that now you hold on," Thrain told him before tapping his com unit again. "WHERE'S THAT MEDICAL DROID?"

"You broke us out of our cells then we broke out the rest of the prisoners. We took over the ship then we whipped those Zygerrians with their own energy whips until their corpses were burnt crisp. I told myself I'd follow you into the mouth of a black hole after that," Xar smiled.

" _Captain we haven't been able to contact Jaybo. We've got a few prisoners including Narel and Grakus but the Jedi and other rebels are missing,"_ reported Phaedon, one of the Scimitar's flight crew.

Thrain was about to shout that he knew all about the missing prisoners when he noticed Xar wasn't breathing. He checked the Fallen's pulse but there was nothing. Xar Zorem was dead.

* * *

Kanan blasted another pirate as he rushed down the corridor with Zeb right behind him carrying an unconscious Ezra. The kid took a nasty blow from the pirate XO and Zeb was busy carrying him not to be completely effective with his single blaster. That left Kanan to be the one to provide him cover and deal with any pirates they ran into. Another problem was they were seeing less pirates and more battle droids. They were old models used by the Separatists during the Clone Wars but still dangerous. So far they hadn't run into any Destroyers yet but Kanan expected their luck could run out at any moment.

"Ezra's starting to feel a little heavy. I think the kid's been eating too many jogan fruit," grumbled Zeb.

Kanan didn't say anything to the Lasat's jests. He was still too furious at letting the holocron slip through his fingers. Its presence still echoed in the Force and he could easily track it back to its location. The problem was there was no telling how many pirates and battle droids were in between the holocron and Kanan. The pirates attacking the ship were probably judging from the lack of any pirates with tattooed faces Kanan has seen since escaping the detention block. That meant Thrain would concentrate his troops on finding the Ghost crew and taking on an entire ship filled with pirates and droids would be suicide. They needed to get out of here.

Kanan and Zeb blasted two battle droids coming down the corridor. "You know I can't believe Jedi actually had problems with a bunch of droids," scoffed the Lasat.

Almost on cue, they rounded a corner and came face to face with a Destroyer Droid. Kanan remembered them back during the Clone Wars and that they were one of the most dangerous droid in the Separatist Army with their heavy blasters and shield generator. It opened fire, forcing Kanan and Zeb to take cover in a doorway. Kanan opened the door and the two ducked inside. He closed the shut door behind them but knew that wouldn't keep the Destroyer out forever. It might even be contacting reinforcements which meant they were in deep trouble.

Kanan glanced around, realizing they were inside some kind of equipment storage room with rows of spare parts hanging on racks.

"Me and my big mouth," grumbled Zeb as he set Ezra down.

"I don't think we'll be going back the way we came," Kanan said. "See if you can wake Ezra up, I'll try and find another way out of here."

"C'mon kid. Enough sleeping on the job," Zeb said, shaking Ezra and lightly slapping him on the face.

Kanan searched around for another door but the one they came in was the only one. Next he scanned the ceiling for any air vents. There was an opening but it was too small for them to squeeze through.

"I take it back. That door we came through is the only way out," Kanan said. The door started shaking as well as spewing smoke, indicating something was shooting from the other side. The Destroyer was trying to get inside.

"Will you stop hitting me?" grumbled Ezra who had regained conscious and shoved Zeb's hand away from his face. "Where are we?"

"In trouble. There's a nasty droid on the other side of that door and he's got an energy shield which makes our blasters useless so we're going to have to improvise. Can give you me a hand?" asked Kanan.

Ezra groaned as he held the back of his head. "Do I have a choice?" he asked. "Oh who am I kidding? Of course not."

"Zeb move that tool rack near the door," Kanan ordered. The Lasat did as he was told while the two Jedi get into position.

"The moment that door opens, you and me send that rack flying out the door. Got it?" asked Kanan. Ezra nodded in response.

"Zeb stand back," ordered Kanan. The Lasat nodded and moved back. The door started to melt from the constant barrage of firepower, specifically in the upper portion. The droid must be trying to cut the door open and wasn't going to take him much longer.

"Get ready," Kanan warned. Suddenly the shooting stopped and the door began to cool. Kanan thought maybe the droid was waiting for reinforcements until he heard a knock on the door.

"You boys going to stay in their all day?" a familiar voice asked.

Ezra's face was beaming with relief as he quickly rushed towards the door and opened it to reveal Hera, Sabine, Sister, and Chopper waiting outside. The remains of the Destroyer lay at their feet. They must have snuck up on it while the droid was preoccupied with the door.

"Nice timing," Ezra said.

Hera stormed over to Kanan and slugged him in the chest, nearly knocking the wind out of his chest.

"Ah! What was that for?!" Kanan shouted.

"For running off like that! Now you listen to me Kanan Jarrus. You will never do something that stupid again!" snapped Hera.

"She was very worried about you," quipped Sabine. Kanan was annoyed by his crewmates enjoying the argument as if it were entertainment.

"Enough with the soap opera. I've had my fill of pirates for one life," Sister grumbled.

* * *

Getting back to the hangar bay was nearly uneventful compared to what they'd experienced earlier. Thrain's pirates and droids were still taking care of the invading pirates which allowed the Ghost crew to get the hangar bay unscathed. Sabotaging the hangar guns wasn't that hard. All Sabine had to do was shoot out a couple of power relay stations and the hangar bay was switched to emergency power. That meant the environmental shield keeping the atmosphere inside was still up but none of the guns.

The hangar bay was a warzone with wreckage from various different fighters littering the massive room. Looks like the invaders landed in the bay with a large invasion force, engaging Thrain's own fighter ships in the process. There had been heavy casualties on both sides judging from the wreckage but strangely enough no sign of any survivors. Either the fighting moved into the other decks or everyone here just died. Sister was many things but she was not an optimist. Nothing was ever this easy.

"Please tell me the Ghost wasn't in the middle of this," sighed Zeb as the crew rushed down a catwalk above the room.

"I don't see it. They must have stored it on the cargo bay one level down," commented Sister.

The rebels climbed down a latter to a maintenance terminal. Sabine quickly skimmed through it and typed away.

"Okay good news. The Ghost is fine. Just give me a minute and I'll bring the crane controls to move the ship onto on the cargo elevator and bring it up here," the Mandalorian said.

"It's about time something good happened for us," remarked Ezra.

"Don't jinx it kid," grumbled Zeb.

Sabine typed a few more buttons and the cargo elevator nearby lowered itself, disappearing below.

"Why aren't there any guards? This is the first place Thrain and his men should be looking for us," grumbled a nervous Kanan.

"Maybe they have their hands full," suggested Hera.

Sabine frowned and Sister noticed her watching a yellow flashing light on the console. "That's strange. The weight limit warning on the elevator's gone off but the Ghost shouldn't be that heavy," she said.

Sister then saw the blood drain from Ezra's face. "Uhh…which level was the Ghost on?" he asked.

"The one below us. Why?" asked Sabine. She got her answer from a monstrous roar. A large clawed hand reached up out of the cargo tunnel followed by another. To everyone's horror, a massive Krayt Dragon pulled itself up into the cargo bay. Tiny certainly wasn't living up to his namesake. He was probably the biggest monster Sister had ever seen in her life.

"Uh…I think I know why Thrain didn't leave any guards with the Ghost," gulped Hera.

(I was hoping to conclude the arc with this chapter but it was just too much for it all to fit in and I figured you folks would want something rather than waiting some more.)


End file.
